Real Madrid's impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League left many former legends such as Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, and Luka Modric visibly excited.
Valverde scored a hat-trick to help Real Madrid thrash Man City 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.
The Champions League night at the Bernabeu not only brought joy to Real Madrid fans in the stands but also prompted many former players of the Spanish royal club to express strong emotions on social media.
Among the first to react was Marcelo. The former Real Madrid captain watched the match and celebrated wildly every time Federico Valverde scored. On social media, the Brazilian defender wrote emotionally: "Valverde, my love!"
After the match, Marcelo continued to share his thoughts. He praised the Uruguayan midfielder's performance and affirmed his pride in being a Real Madrid fan.
“This kid is special. It’s great to be a Real Madrid fan. Now I can sleep well. Hala Madrid and nothing else,” Marcelo wrote.
Gareth Bale, who rarely comments on his former team's matches, also had a notable reaction. On Instagram, the former Wales star posted a photo of the match being shown on TV at his home. In the frame, Bale's son is wearing a Real Madrid shirt and intently watching the game. Bale simply wrote: "Hala Madrid".
Luka Modric also joined the wave of reactions after the match. The Croatian midfielder left comments under posts by several Real Madrid players, including Vinicius, with the message: "Great game!". He also sent a flame emoji under Antonio Rudiger's post as a way of expressing his excitement.
Another former Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos, also enjoyed the celebratory atmosphere. The Spanish defender was present at Santiago Bernabéu to watch the match live and posted a story on social media documenting his time in the stands.
The reactions of former legends demonstrate the special appeal of Real Madrid in the Champions League. Even though they no longer play for the team, they still follow every step of "Los Blancos" and are ready to share in the joy whenever the team wins in Europe's most prestigious competition.