In the 8th matchday of the UEFA Champions League league phase, Real Madrid suffered a 4-2 away defeat against Benfica, failing to qualify directly for the Champions League knockout stage. Following the game, Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde spoke to Sport TV in the flash interview zone.
“Benfica is a great team with excellent players. We knew the game would be tough. We dropped our intensity after scoring, and they put in a fantastic performance, especially in attack. Who is to blame? It is not the fault of any individual, but the whole team. We have to work hard in training and improve.”
Valverde went on to praise the side managed by José Mourinho: “I prefer to talk about opponents as a collective unit. They played an outstanding match, with solid defending and sharp attacking play… they created a lot of chances, and Thibaut Courtois made numerous saves. We just have to keep improving.”