Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni has, for the first time, spoken out about a reported physical confrontation with teammate Fede Valverde at the Valdebebas training ground. The incident, which allegedly led to Valverde requiring stitches in his head, resulted in both players being fined โฌ500,000 by the club for indiscipline.
Valverde himself had previously commented on the event upon joining the Uruguay squad for the World Cup. While he acknowledged the incident as a valuable learning experience for personal growth and maturity, he initially refuted claims of being physically struck by Tchouameni.
Tchouameni’s Account: No Punch Thrown
Tchouameni has now offered his perspective, clearly stating that he did not punch Valverde. “Obviously, things happened, you could see and hear it in the media. It was blown out of proportion because it was in the news, and when you play for Real Madrid, that creates a huge reaction. A lot of nonsense was said in the press. I read that there was a fight and that I had punched himโฆ Which wasnโt the case. I wonโt go into more detail,” the midfielder was quoted as saying by Diario AS.
He further emphasized the importance of the club’s awareness of the situation, noting that many internal matters do not reach the public domain. “The most important thing is that the club was aware of what happened. There are many things that happen in the dressing room that donโt make it into the press. Life goes on. Fede and I have a common goal: to win titles with Real Madrid. There are no problems. And if I face him in the World Cup, weโll be eager to win with the French national team. On a personal level, there are no problems with Valverde right now.”
Real Madrid’s Focus: The Leak, Not the Fight
Sources suggest that Real Madrid’s primary concern regarding the incident was not the altercation itself, but rather its exposure to the press. At the time, then-manager Alvaro Arbeloa reportedly stated that the most damaging aspect was the public revelation of the story. Club President Florentino Perez echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the individual responsible for leaking the information would face consequences, and that player disputes are a regular occurrence, even implying past disagreements were more severe.
