Trent Alexander-Arnold names ‘most underrated player in the world’ after Man City win | Football

Trent Alexander-Arnold has named Real Madrid teammate Federico Valverde ‘the most underrated footballer on the planet’ following his stunning hat-trick against Manchester City.

In the first leg of their Champions League last 16 showdown, Los Blancos took a commanding step towards the quarter-finals of the competition with a 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

With Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe ruled out, Valverde took centre stage, scoring all three goals in what was a magnificent performance from the Uruguay international.

The 27-year-old scored an injury time winner against Celta Vigo at the weekend and opened the scoring against Pep Guardiola’s side after 20 minutes, slotting home from a tight angle after beating Nico O’Reilly and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

He doubled his haul seven minutes later before rounding off a hat-trick just before half-time, brilliantly flicking the ball over Marc Guehi before lashing home.

Valverde’s contribution to Real’s success has been invaluable but in a team of stars, is often overlooked. After tonight’s performance, Alexander-Arnold believes he may now start getting the credit he deserves.  

‘Even as a Liverpool player I admired him and I think he is undoubtedly the most underrated footballer on the planet,’ Alexander-Arnold told TNT Sports.

‘When you have played with him you understands how much he gives to the team, he covers every blade of grass, he gives his all.

‘As a player, the best attribute you can have is that your teammates can always count on you and he is always there, he never lets us down.

‘Maybe people might start talking about him now but for many years he has been in that top bracket of midfielders’

While Real have a commanding lead to take to Manchester next week, Thibaut Courtois warned the tie is far from done.

‘In the Etihad I’ve lost 4-3, lost 4-0 – everything can happen there so we have to be calm, Courtois said.

‘It’s a very nice result I’m not going to lie but we have to keep our foot on the floor.’

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