Who is Peter Federico, the Madrid Youth Product Who ‘Spoiled’ Barça’s Night?

Peter Federico was, for better or for worse, one of the main protagonists of the first half of the match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, corresponding to Matchday 33 of LaLiga EA Sports 2023/24. The forward provided the assist for Valencia’s first goal and won the penalty that Pepelu converted to overturn Fermín’s initial strike, but he also squandered several clear opportunities with very flawed finishes.

Born in Madrid in July 2002, making him 21 years old, the Spanish-Dominican footballer was nurtured in the youth ranks of Real Madrid. His speed and dynamism on the right wing made him one of La Fábrica’s most promising talents from his early days in football until he made his debut for the first team in a match against Athletic Club in San Mamés at the end of December 2021 (1-2).

However, Peter Federico only played two more games for the Real Madrid first team. He had five minutes against Getafe a week later and a quarter of an hour in the mid-May thrashing against Levante in the same season. The forward didn’t quite take off, and in the last winter transfer window, he joined Valencia on loan with an option to buy.

He has already played nine matches under Rubén Baraja’s guidance. He hasn’t scored or provided assists (the pass to Hugo Duro in the Barcelona match won’t count as an assist due to Ter Stegen’s intervention), but he has shown glimpses of his quality… and his finishing issues. He is a very electric player but doesn’t stand out for his effectiveness in front of goal.

After Valencia’s match against Real Madrid in early March, Peter Federico made headlines when he had to disable comments on his social media due to receiving racist insults from the Real Madrid fans. Valencia issued a statement to defend a player who, in practical terms, still belongs to the Madrid club.