Real Madrid team-mates Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were involved in a dressing-room fight at the club’s training ground on Thursday, one day after an earlier altercation between the pair.
Sources briefed on what unfolded, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, said Valverde was taken to hospital to undergo assessments after sustaining a head injury during the incident.
In a statement released later on Thursday, Madrid responded by saying: “Real Madrid C.F. announces that, following the incidents that occurred this morning during the first team’s training session, it has decided to open disciplinary proceedings against our players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.
“The club will announce the outcomes of both cases in due course, once the relevant internal procedures have been completed.”
Madrid then released a further statement confirming Valverde had suffered a head injury and, after tests conducted by their medical services, had been diagnosed with a “cranioencephalic traumatism”.
“Valverde is at home in good condition and will have to rest for 10 to 14 days, as per medical protocols for this diagnosis,” the statement continued. The timeline rules Valverde out of El Clasico against Barcelona on Sunday, when the Catalan club could seal the La Liga title if they avoid defeat.
The initial altercation occurred in training on Wednesday, with the dispute continuing into the changing room after the session.
Multiple sources confirmed Thursday’s altercation was instigated by a strong tackle from Valverde, 27, on Tchouameni, 26, in training. After the session had concluded and the squad returned to the dressing room, Tchouameni confronted Valverde and, after a verbal dispute, it became physical.
During the argument, Valverde fell and hit his head on a table in the changing room. He was subsequently taken to hospital to undergo tests and has since returned home.
When contacted by The Athletic for comment, Madrid confirmed a second confrontation took place on Thursday and Valverde was taken to hospital.
Tchouameni’s and Valverde’s representatives declined to comment when approached by The Athletic.
Valverde posted a statement on Thursday in which he apologised and denied that he had been hit, or that he had hit his team-mate.
“Yesterday I had an incident with a team-mate following a move in training, where the fatigue from the season and frustration meant things were blown out of proportion,” he wrote.
“In a normal dressing room, these things can happen and are sorted out among ourselves without coming to light.
“Today we had another disagreement. During the argument, I accidentally banged my head against a table, causing a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital.
“I’m sorry that my anger at the situation, my frustration at seeing that some of us are reaching the end of the season with our last ounce of strength, giving it our all, got the better of me to the point of arguing with a team-mate.”
The situation and the behaviour of the two players is believed to have angered Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, with the incident coming three days before the Clasico on Sunday.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that tensions have been continuing to affect the camp’s preparations for the weekend’s game at Camp Nou.
Last month, Antonio Rudiger was involved in a heated argument with a team-mate in the dressing rooms at Madrid’s training ground, which he has since apologised for.
More recently, Kylian Mbappe was involved in an angry flare-up with a member of staff during a training exercise before their 1-1 draw at Real Betis on April 24. Neither player is believed to have been internally sanctioned.
