By Ross KilvingtonThe Brazilian opened the scoring with a penalty after Bernardo Silva was sent off for handball in the first-half.With just minutes remaining, he then slotted home Madrid’s winner to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory.Despite City’s dominance during the game, Madrid’s chances improved after Silva was sent off, but the damage had already been done in the first leg.Indeed, the star of the show was Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan maestro delivered one of the finest modern day Champions League performances as he scored a stunning hat-trick at the Bernabeu in the 3-0 win.Vinícius Júnior may have stolen the plaudits on Tuesday, but the foundations of success were laid by Valverde.Federico Valverde was sensational against Manchester CityPrior to the first leg against City, Valverde had scored three Champions League goals across 75 matches in the competition for Madrid.That all changed at the Bernabéu. Valverde opened the scoring after 20 minutes, perfectly controlling a pass from Thibaut Courtois before rounding Gianluigi Donnarumma and slotting the ball home from a tight angle.Seven minutes later, the midfielder was at it again. He popped up with another fine finish, taking advantage of a sleepy City defence to make it 2-0.Shot map for Valverde’s hat trick, with third goal highlightedValverde saved the best for last. Brahim Díaz chipped a pass into the box which the Uruguayan controlled perfectly by flicking it over the head of Marc Guéhi before firing a shot into the net to seal his first ever career hat-trick.It was a first half of dreams, not only for Madrid, but for Valverde. FotMob awarded him a match rating of 9.7, while L’Equipe – famed for their distinction of rarely giving out perfect ratings – awarded Valverde a 10/10 for his display. As such, he became only the 20th player to receive the highest possible rating.While he will be remembered for his goal scoring exploits in that first leg, the midfielder also made nine defensive contributions, the most throughout the game, along with winning 11 duels and playing four passes into the penalty area.Former Arsenal and France icon Thierry Henry summed up his display perfectly, saying: “Fede Valverde was not only Bergkamp today.“He was Thuram, Bergkamp, Makelele. He was everybody.”Valverde’s heat map vs. Man City, first legHigh praise indeed and certainly well deserved given his efforts, both defensively and going forwards.Valverde may not have scored during the second leg, yet he did end the game with a 92% pass success rate while registering seven defensive actions during the 2-1 victory.Those performances could go a long way to rejuvenating Madrid, especially with a LaLiga and Champions League double still very much within reach for Los Blancos.Valverde is delivering when it really mattersHis performance against Man City will be eulogised for years to come, yet Valverde has been producing for Madrid when it matters since the start of 2026.He scored the opener against Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, before providing the assist for Rodrygo to net the winner.A month later, Valverde scored against Real Sociedad before registering two assists against Benfica in the Champions League.Perhaps more importantly, the 27-year-old scored a vital late winner against Celta Vigo in LaLiga at the start of the month and this was the first of his five goals in the space of just eight days.Valverde’s passing stats in LaLiga this seasonDomestically, Valverde has been a key factor in Madrid’s title challenge. Not only does he rank in the top 1% compared to his peers for chances created (39) and shots on target (13), but the midfielder also ranks in the top 5% for touches (1891) and in the top 7% for recoveries (117), showcasing his class across a range of metrics.It is in the Champions League, however, where Valverde has truly shone. The midfielder ranks seventh among all players in the competition for top speed (35.8 km/h) and sixth for assists (four) this season.Valverde is very much at the peak of his powers right now and while Madrid’s season has endured its rocky moments, he appears to be the fulcrum in this star-studded side.Valverde’s physical metrics in the Champions League this seasonHe offers the perfect balance between attack and defence, allowing others such as Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé to focus purely on the opposition goal.This was something Luka Modrić excelled in and it is evident that Valverde is following in his footsteps this season.His ever-increasing influence is becoming more apparent under the leadership of Álvaro Arbeloa, who is clearly bringing the best out of him.“He’s such a talented guy that he could excel in any position,” Arbeloa said about Valverde.“He’s a fantastic captain, as he’s shown in recent months. He offers us so much in a range of roles. Fede is Real Madrid through and through, and an outstanding ambassador for the club.”Mbappé and Vinícius may be the jewels in Madrid’s crown, especially with their attacking output, but there is no doubt Valverde is the player that holds everything together.The next few months might well turn out to be the most important of his career. First up, he will look to fire Madrid to LaLiga and Champions League titles, bolstering his medal collection in the process.If that isn’t enough, Valverde will be looking to take Uruguay as far as possible in the 2026 World Cup this summer.Perform like he has done over the next few months and might we be talking about Valverde being a contender for the Ballon d’Or?Only time will tell.(Cover image from IMAGO)You can follow every Real Madrid game with FotMob this season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.