Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde will miss Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona after sustaining an injury during a training ground altercation with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, according to Fabrizio Romano. The incident, which reportedly escalated from an argument on Wednesday into a physical confrontation on Thursday, has led to disciplinary proceedings being opened against both players by the club.
The initial disagreement between Valverde and Tchouameni occurred during a training session earlier this week, with reports indicating the situation quickly deteriorated and required intervention from other squad members. The argument continued into the dressing room where further pushing and shoving took place. Thursday’s incident saw Valverde accuse Tchouameni of leaking details of the first argument, a claim Tchouameni refuted. During the renewed dispute, Valverde reportedly struck a corner of a table, requiring stitches and ruling him out of the crucial match against Barcelona.
Real Madrid released a statement confirming the disciplinary proceedings, stating that updates on the resolutions will be provided once internal procedures are completed. The club has not disclosed the nature of the potential punishments.
This incident is the latest in a series of disruptive events at the Santiago Bernabéu. Reports suggest that tensions are high within the squad as Real Madrid face the prospect of finishing the season without major silverware. Further compounding the situation, Antonio Rudiger was also involved in a physical altercation with Alvaro Carreras during training, highlighting a growing divide within the team. There have also been reports of criticism directed towards Kylian Mbappe for taking a holiday during his recovery from a hamstring injury, with a petition circulating calling for improved behaviour from the forward.
Amidst the internal turmoil, speculation is mounting regarding a potential return for Jose Mourinho as manager. While Mourinho’s possible arrival was already a talking point, the current unrest has increased the likelihood of the Portuguese coach returning to the Bernabeu. Manchester City have also been linked with a move for Vinicius Junior should the Brazilian fail to agree to a contract extension with Real Madrid.
