The risk associated with leaving out Valverde Real Madrid Real Madrid's defeats have come when he hasn't started

Zinedine Zidane said he couldn't explain Real Madrid's defeat against Real Betis, but it seems that the missing piece was Fede Valverde.

Zidane chose not to use Valverde and his side definitely missed the midfielder's dynamism on Sunday night.

"We lacked energy, good football, possession and aggressiveness." Zidane told the press after the game.

These are all aspects Valverde has in abundance and the coach took too long to bring him off the bench, not doing so until the 79th minute.

This is not the first time Real Madrid have lost when Valverde has not played as he also didn't start in the losses against Levante or Real Mallorca, only playing the final nine minutes at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia and the final 24 minutes at Son Moix.

Zidane decided to drop the midfielder from the starting XI again and paid for it with a defeat at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

It has become obvious that Real Madrid are not as reliable as when Valverde plays from the start.

Zidane needs energy and he knows he has it, but he must put Valverde in the picture and play him from the start.

Not doing so is now a risk and it's costing the coach and the side dearly.