On May 7th, following Real Madrid's regular training session, Marca exclusively reported that Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni erupted in another violent clash after their argument the previous day. Valverde had to be taken to the hospital for treatment, triggering an unprecedented crisis in the dressing room. An emergency crisis meeting was held after Valverde was hospitalized, and no player left the training base.
What Was the Full Sequence of the Conflict?
Upon arriving at the training base, Valverde refused to shake hands with Tchouaméni as a greeting. This absence of a customary greeting instantly ignited hostile sentiments in both the dressing room and on the training ground, sounding the alarm for this catastrophic day.
Valverde began accusing Tchouaméni of being responsible for leaking their argument from the previous day to the media. These accusations came one after another like successive blows. Tchouaméni consistently denied the allegations, pointing out that he was someone who did not engage with the media at all. But these relentless accusations in the dressing room... continued on the training field.
During the team training session, Valverde continued to press Tchouaméni, insisting that he had leaked the information. As sources from Valdebebas strongly emphasized, Arbeloa did not intervene during this period.
Thus, it turned into what was described as an "uncomfortable" training session. Valverde and Tchouaméni engaged in constant intense confrontations with extremely aggressive plays that confused both teammates and the coaching staff. Hostility permeated the air. Meanwhile, Valverde persisted in accusing Tchouaméni of disclosing what happened on Wednesday to the media.
Training ended, but the worst was yet to come. When they returned to the dressing room, Valverde continued to talk endlessly, relentlessly. Sources close to the incident described it as "incessant".
Subsequently, Tchouaméni stopped backing down and had a conversation with him that seemed calm on the surface. He asked Valverde to stop, stating that this hostile atmosphere hanging over everyone's heads must end. But Valverde did not stop, not even for a moment. Several players tried to mediate, striving to persuade both sides to halt the accusations.
But their efforts were ineffective. Then, Tchouaméni could no longer contain his anger. AS has confirmed that at this point, he threw a heavy punch at Valverde. The punch landed squarely on his head, causing him to fall to the ground. It was at that moment that he suffered an impact injury and a wound; this was not a direct result of Tchouaméni's blow, but rather a consequence of his fall. From that moment on, Valverde clearly felt dizzy. So much so that he had to leave the training base in a wheelchair.
José Ángel Sánchez, Real Madrid's CEO, was near the dressing room when the brawl broke out. He rushed over quickly, but by the time he arrived, everything had already happened. Beyond separating the two and communicating with the other players, no other intervention was possible.
Florentino Pérez was not at Valdebebas at the time. Moments later, Valverde was taken to the medical room in a wheelchair. There, a severe laceration on his head was observed, and he was subsequently transferred to Blua Sanitas Hospital to receive stitches for the wound.
From that moment on, Tchouaméni drove away and never met with Valverde again. After receiving treatment at the hospital, Valverde returned to the base accompanied by his wife, with a prominent bandage wrapped around his head.
Real Madrid and Players' Official Responses
Real Madrid Official Announcement:
Real Madrid C.F. announces that in light of the incident that occurred during this morning's first-team training session, the club has decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings against players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni. The club will announce the outcomes of these two cases in a timely manner after completing the corresponding internal procedures.
Today, Real Madrid's medical services department conducted an examination on our player Federico Valverde. The diagnosis shows that he suffered a craniocerebral trauma. Valverde is currently in good condition at home and, in accordance with the medical plan based on this diagnosis, he will need 10 to 14 days of rest.
Federico Valverde's Social Media Response:
Yesterday, an incident took place between myself and a teammate, sparked by a challenge during training. The fatigue and frustration stemming from a grueling competitive campaign amplified everything in that moment.
Incidents like this can happen in any normal dressing room, and they would usually be resolved privately among ourselves without becoming public knowledge. Clearly, however, someone quickly leaked what happened to the outside world. Coupled with our failure to win any titles this season, and Real Madrid always being under the global spotlight, every little detail has been blown out of proportion.
We clashed again today. During our argument, I accidentally walked into a table and suffered a small cut on my forehead, which required hospital treatment following standard protocol.
At no point did my teammate strike me, nor did I lay a hand on him. I understand it may be easier for people to believe we came to blows or that this was premeditated, but that is simply not the truth.
My frustration with the current situation, alongside the heartbreak of watching teammates fight until the very end amid another disappointing campaign, pushed me to my limit and led to this disagreement with a fellow player.
I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. This whole situation pains me deeply, as does the difficult period we are going through right now. Real Madrid is one of the most important things in my life, and I cannot stay indifferent to what is happening. A buildup of trivial matters has escalated into a pointless dispute, tarnishing my reputation and giving those who fabricate stories, spread slander, and exaggerate a simple accident room to speculate.
One thing I can say for certain: players may have minor disagreements off the pitch, but all of that is left behind once we step onto the field. If a teammate ever needs defending during a match, I will always be the first to stand up for them.
I had no intention of speaking out before the end of the season. After our elimination from the Champions League, I kept all my anger and disappointment to myself. We have wasted another year, and I chose to stay quiet on social media, believing the pitch is the only place I need to respond—and I believe I have done exactly that.
That is why I feel immense regret and sadness at being ruled out of our next match on medical grounds. I have always fought until the final whistle no matter the outcome, and being unable to play hurts me more than anyone else.
I will abide by any decision made by the club and my teammates, and I am ready to cooperate fully with any measures they deem necessary.
Thank you.
Aurélien Tchouaméni's Response
French gossip blogger aqababe posted screenshots of his private chat with Aurélien Tchouaméni on social media. In the conversation, Tchouaméni denied punching Federico Valverde as claimed by outside reports.
Tchouaméni wrote in the chat:"Something happened, but I can’t say anything about it.""I told you yesterday, there was no fight or anything of the sort.""I didn’t punch him. It’s not true, and that’s all I can say.""He hit his head on the floor."
The blogger also remarked: "Thanks. My credibility matters a great deal to me."
What Punishments Will the Two Receive?
Based on the sequence of events, everything indicates that both players may have committed serious or very serious disciplinary violations. The collective bargaining agreement for players deems severe verbal abuse, which applies to Valverde's case, or serious assault on any person during professional activities, which applies to Tchouaméni's case, as serious or very serious disciplinary violations. This means they may face sanctions including financial penalties, with a maximum deduction of 25% of their salaries; if deemed very serious disciplinary violations, they may also be suspended without pay for up to 30 days.
Punishments for Serious Disciplinary Violations:
- Suspension without pay: 2 to 10 days.
- Financial penalty (fine):
- For the portion of monthly salary up to €100,000, the fine can be up to 7% of the monthly salary.
- For the portion of salary exceeding €100,000, an additional fine of up to 4% may be imposed.
- Penalties are divided into three levels: minimum level, 4.01% to 5%; medium level, 5.01% to 6%; maximum level, 6.01% to 7%.
Punishments for Very Serious Disciplinary Violations:
Applicable to the most serious behaviors, such as physical violence, obvious insubordination, sports fraud, or doping issues.
Suspension without pay: 11 to 30 days.
Financial penalty (fine):
- The fine can be up to 25% of the monthly salary, depending on the severity and whether the violation is repeated.
In extreme cases, the penalty may be disciplinary termination of the player's contract.
How Will Real Madrid's Dressing Room Evolve? Will the Two Be Sold?
In fact, for a considerable period in the past, Real Madrid has made news headlines more due to a lack of cohesion in the dressing room rather than victories. The controversy first began when Vinícius Junior expressed dissatisfaction with Xabi Alonso during the El Clásico, followed by Jude Bellingham privately supporting the Brazilian player and gradually distancing himself from the coach from Tolosa. Subsequently, there were issues including Kylian Mbappé's injury and misdiagnosis, a crisis in the medical department, Dani Carvajal's dissatisfaction with Arbeloa, Arbeloa's decision to let Marco Asensio leave the team temporarily for a few days, the coach having almost no relationship with Dani Ceballos, dissatisfaction among the core group of Spanish players, Antonio Rüdiger slapping Carlos Carvajal, escalating conflicts between star players, the entire team's dissatisfaction with Mbappé's trip with his partner, and now the conflict between Tchouaméni and Valverde. This incident is also a result of the dressing room split.
Since Alonso's departure and Arbeloa's appointment, Real Madrid's dressing room has gradually become divided. Some interviewed sources described the current atmosphere as "toxic." There is a group within the team that supports Alonso more, and another group that hopes for a coaching change. After the coaching change, many did not approve, which triggered internal disputes. Coupled with the team's poor results, Real Madrid ultimately arrived at the current series of player conflicts, with the coaching staff also being involved. Before the end of yesterday's training, Arbeloa did not mediate at all. Valverde continued to aggressively press Tchouaméni midway through the training, and when Valverde was speaking to Tchouaméni, Arbeloa did not intervene. Journalists were also informed that the club was not satisfied with this.
Despite this conflict, Real Madrid currently seems to rule out the possibility of selling Valverde or Tchouaméni. The club still considers both players key to the team's present and short-term future, but will take internal measures against them. Among these, Real Madrid will attach greater importance to Valverde's handling, as he is the team's second captain. If Carvajal ultimately does not renew his contract, Valverde will become the first captain due to seniority, but the club hopes he will make changes after this week's incident. Valdebebas has now become such a powder keg.
