Federico Valverde has been hospitalized after a reported incident with a teammate at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni following an incident at the club’s training ground. It all happened just days before Sunday’s league final against Barcelona.
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Real Madrid confirm that Valverde has suffered a cranioencephalic trauma – a form of concussion. The club states that the Uruguayan has been discharged from hospital and is now resting at home. According to reports from Spain, Valverde was knocked unconscious for a short period of time during the incident.
“Valverde is at home in good condition, and must rest for 10 to 14 days, according to medical protocols for this diagnosis,” the statement said.
– Tensions between midfielders
According to reports, tensions between the two midfielders first arose during Wednesday’s training, before they continued into the dressing room. The situation is said to have escalated further on Thursday after training at Valdebebas. An alleged verbal argument is said to have become physical.
That same evening, an emergency meeting was held with club president Florentino Pérez, manager Álvaro Arbeloa and captain Dani Carvajal.
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Valverde rejects violence in his own statement
Valverde has also taken to social media to explain his side of the story:
“Yesterday I had an incident with a teammate during a training session. The fatigue from the competition and the frustration made everything seem inflated. In a normal locker room, such things can happen and be solved internally without it being publicly known.
“Someone is spreading rumours. With a season without titles, where Real Madrid is always under the microscope, everything is blown out of proportion. Today we had another disagreement.
“During the argument, I accidentally hit a table, which caused a small cut on my forehead. It required a routine hospital visit.
“My teammate never hit me, nor did I hit him – although I understand that it’s easier for you to think that we got into a fight or that it was intentional. That didn’t happen.
“I’m the one who’s most sad
“I feel like my anger over the situation, the frustration that some of us are struggling to get through the end of the season and that we’re giving everything we’ve got, pushed me to argue with a teammate. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, because this situation hurts me. The moment we are going through now is painful.
“Real Madrid is one of the most important things in my life, and I can’t be indifferent to that. The result is an accumulation of things that culminate in a meaningless quarrel – damaging my image and leaving room for doubt, fabricated stories, backbiting, and fueling the fire of an accident.
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“Always give it your all – until the very end”
“I have no doubt that disagreements we may have off the pitch cease to exist on it. And if I have to defend it inside a stadium, I will be the first.
“I didn’t intend to make a statement before the end of the season. We were knocked out of the Champions League, and I kept my anger and bitterness to myself. We have wasted another year. I wasn’t in a position to post on social media when the only face I wanted to show was on the pitch. I feel that I did.
“That’s why I’m the one who is the most sad and sad to have to go through this situation, which prevents me from playing the next game due to medical decisions.
“I always gave it my all – until the very end. It hurts more for me than for anyone else that I don’t get the opportunity to do that. I am at the disposal of the club and my teammates to cooperate on any decision they may deem necessary. Thanks.
Clásico preparations disrupted
The incident comes at a difficult time for Real Madrid, ahead of El Clásico at Camp Nou on Sunday. Anything short of a win for Madrid will give Barcelona another La Liga title with three games left to play.
