Federico Valverde: 'I would never play for Barcelona'

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has insisted that he would never play for Barcelona.

The 23-year-old joined Los Blancos from Penarol in 2016 and has represented the Spanish club's first team on 134 occasions in all competitions, including 32 outings during the 2021-22 campaign.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's El Clasico with Barcelona at Bernabeu, Valverde has said that "out of respect" for his current club, he would never consider turning out for their bitter rivals.

"Real Madrid are special, they changed my life," Valverde told El Larguero. "I came from Penarol, but since I arrived here I knew that I was wearing the shirt of the best team in the world. It's an enormous pressure and responsibility, but I enjoy it.

"Out of respect for Real Madrid, and for the values they gave me at home, I wouldn't play for Barcelona. Out of respect for the badge that feeds me, gives me life, and the love it gives me, and the values they gave me at home."

Valverde missed Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga earlier this month through illness but returned to play the full 90 minutes against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before playing 61 minutes of their league win over Mallorca on Monday night.