Fede Valverde's hat-trick for Real Madrid against Man City shows why this true Galactico can be 'underrated' no more

Right foot, left foot, volley. Not the textbook perfect hat-trick but perhaps an improvement on it. Fede Valverde was the hero for Real Madrid in their statement 3-0 win over Manchester City. It was one of the great Champions League performances.

This was supposed to be an opportunity for Pep Guardiola's City side to stamp their authority on the tie with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham among those injured. Madrid made all the right noises about never being underdogs but their form had been a worry.

Enter Valverde with a captain's effort. Talk about stepping up. He credited his teammates and the coaching staff afterwards, pointing to the passes that he received for his goals. Typical modesty but it hardly told the tale of what he did at the Bernabeu. It was special.

The first goal owed everything to a sublime first touch, cushioning Thibaut Courtois' long ball expertly - and he still had to round Gianluigi Donnarumma. The second featured stellar movement and a finish on his weaker foot. The third was a goal for the ages.

Valverde ran off the back of Rodri and made Marc Guehi look like a novice by lifting it over him and smashing the ball low into the corner. Bellingham could not believe it, watching on in the stands, giving it the 'we are not worthy' gesture and well he might.

It completed only the fifth first-half hat-trick in the Champions League knockout stages and the first against English opposition since Lionel Messi did for Arsenal 16 years ago. But Valverde's hat-trick display was very different to those that have come before it.

He is not really a goal scorer at all, even though City fans will remember his outrageous volley against them in 2024 that won Champions League goal of the season. That was one of only three goals in his previous 75 appearances in the competition for Madrid.

But that is part of what made this performance so extraordinary. Valverde did so much more than score. He also made more tackles than anyone else on the pitch. Indeed, his total of four was twice as many as any hat-trick scorer in the Champions League this decade.

There was a moment during the first half when he tracked back to cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the second, he could be seen slotting into the full-back position when the England international had ventured forward. No wonder his teammate adores him.