Following the major altercation at Real Madrid, midfielders Federico Valverde (27) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (26) have been hit with substantial fines. The club announced on Friday that both players must pay €500,000 each. In an official statement, Real Madrid confirmed that the players expressed deep regret over the incident. Valverde and Tchouaméni apologized to each other as well as to the coaching staff and teammates.
The serious confrontation between the two midfielders reportedly took place in the dressing room on Thursday, requiring intervention from several team members. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Valverde sustained a cut on his head and was taken to the hospital. The day before, a verbal exchange and pushing had already occurred during training. Following the clash, Real Madrid announced that Valverde would be sidelined for 10 to 14 days due to his head injury, ruling him out of the decisive Clásico against FC Barcelona, which could determine the league title.
In the wake of the heated dispute, head coach Álvaro Arbeloa has declined to impose further sanctions on the duo. “What I will not do is burn them at the stake in the town square, because they do not deserve that. It is time to turn the page,” the coach said on the eve of the Clásico against league leaders Barcelona. Arbeloa described the altercation as “pointless” and stressed, “My players have acknowledged their mistake, expressed remorse, and asked for forgiveness.”
Valverde himself explained on Instagram that during the disagreement, he accidentally bumped into a table and was never struck nor did he strike anyone. He attributed the tension to frustration over the team’s sporting performance this season, noting that such incidents can occur in a dressing room and are typically resolved internally, but the matter had been blown out of proportion in public.
After a second season without a league title, Copa del Rey, or Champions League victory, reports have emerged of multiple sources of unrest at Real Madrid. The situation also involves injured star Kylian Mbappé, who recently sparked controversy among fans by taking a short vacation to Sardinia with actress Ester Expósito while rehabilitating. The relationship between Mbappé and other French players in the squad—such as Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy—with parts of the team is reportedly strained. Media have noted that striker Vinicius Junior performs at his best when Mbappé is not on the pitch. Additionally, a recent confrontation between Antonio Rüdiger and Álvaro Carreras caused some stir, though it is said to have been resolved.
