“In official competitions, we will step on Barca” - Real Madrid star makes bold claim after 3-0 loss to Barcelona

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has vowed that the side will perform better against Barcelona in official matches. This comes after Los Blancos suffered a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of their greatest rivals in a pre-season game in the US.

Speaking to the press after the game, he said:

“In official competitions, we will step on Barça.”

The two sides faced off at AT&T Stadium in Texas for a friendly fixture. Barcelona took the lead in the 15th minute through Ousmane Dembele, before late goals from Fermin Lopez and Ferran Torres added the icing on the cake.

The match saw Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti try out the 4-4-2 formation, with the four in midfield forming a diamond.

Viewers felt that the tactical change left a lot to be desired, with star winger Vinicius Junior unable to impact the game much in the first half.

Los Blancos will wrap up their pre-season tour of the US with a clash against Juventus on August 2. They will begin their La Liga campaign against Athletic Bilbao.

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Real Madrid clarify stance on midfielder following Chelsea interest

Valverde has reportedly been the subject of interest of multiple Premier League sides.

Real Madrid have insisted that Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde is not for sale after reports suggested that Chelsea were interested in the player.

Catalan outlet El Nacional claimed that the Blues were willing to pay up to €130 million to sign the 25-year-old. They were also looking to make him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

The London side is looking to revamp their squad following a poor season that saw them finish 12th in the Premier League. They are keen on signing a midfield partner for club-record signing Enzo Fernandez.

Chelsea have held extensive talks for Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo and had a bid of £80 million rejected for the player. With the Seagulls' asking price out of their range, Pochettino's side is considering alternative options.

Reports suggest they could hijack Liverpool's interest in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia. They also completed the signing of 19-year-old Lesley Ugochukwu from Stade Rennais.

90min reported that multiple Premier League sides, including Manchester City and Liverpool, alongside the likes of Bayern Munich and PSG, have inquired about Valverde. However, none of the approaches were believed to be official, and Real Madrid swiftly dismissed all of them.

Valverde is regarded as one of the club's most important players after a strong campaign in which he bagged 12 goals and seven assists. Speculation has arisen over his future with the club signing Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler while also bringing Brahim Diaz back.