Federico Valverde has been officially ruled out of this weekend's El Clasico against FC Barcelona after sustaining a head injury during an altercation with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni at Real Madrid's training session on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Valdebebas complex, just three days before the crucial match, and followed a previous confrontation between the two midfielders during Wednesday's training.
Valverde Diagnosed with Cranioencephalic Trauma
Real Madrid confirmed on Friday that medical examinations revealed Valverde suffered a cranioencephalic trauma. The club stated: "After the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a cranioencephalic trauma. Valverde is at home in good condition and will need to rest for 10 to 14 days, as indicated by medical protocols for this diagnosis." This injury means the Uruguay captain will miss Sunday's El Clasico. No injury was reported for Tchouameni following the incident.
Details of the Altercation
According to ESPN sources, the confrontation broke out at the end of training following a practice match that included several heavy challenges. One source said Tchouameni initially went to the changing room before Valverde entered shortly afterward "looking very tense," where the fight reportedly escalated. Another source claimed Valverde kicked Tchouameni during training before the two exchanged insults, with Tchouameni then allegedly striking Valverde heavily. The same source indicated tension between the pair had existed since Xabi Alonso was still at the club. ESPN further reported that Valverde suffered a cut and later required stitches after being taken to hospital.
Spanish outlet Marca had already reported a heated altercation between the two midfielders during Wednesday's session following a foul in training. Tensions carried over into Thursday, where the situation was described internally as "much worse" than the original incident. Marca also claimed Valverde refused to shake Tchouameni's hand upon returning to training after the earlier confrontation, contributing to a worsening atmosphere inside the squad. Other teammates reportedly intervened during Thursday's clash before the situation escalated further.
Emergency Meeting Called
Following the incident, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa is reported to have called an emergency crisis meeting in an attempt to calm tensions within the dressing room. This comes amid growing scrutiny surrounding the atmosphere under Arbeloa's leadership. Spanish reports this week claimed several players are barely speaking to one another, while six members of the squad are reportedly not engaging directly with Arbeloa.
Mbappe Also Under Scrutiny
The atmosphere around the club has been tense following criticism directed toward Kylian Mbappe after his brief trip to Sardinia while recovering from a muscular issue in his left leg. Mbappe was photographed last weekend on a yacht in Sardinia alongside girlfriend Ester Exposito. He returned to training on Monday, but the timing of the trip reportedly caused frustration among sections of the squad and supporters. Spanish reports claimed there was "incomprehension" among teammates regarding the holiday, while an online petition calling for Mbappe to leave the club reportedly gained traction earlier this week.
Mbappe released a statement through a spokesperson insisting the criticism was "NOT corresponding to the reality and the work that Kylian does daily for the good of the team." He had already faced criticism this season over alleged "individualism" within the dressing room and was reportedly involved in a heated confrontation with one of Arbeloa's assistants during training. He also drew attention after reportedly liking and then removing a like from a social media post calling for Jose Mourinho to return to Madrid and replace Arbeloa at the end of the season. Hours after Thursday's reported altercation, footage emerged showing Mbappe leaving the Valdebebas complex smiling and laughing while driving away from training.
El Clasico Pressure Mounts
The timing of these incidents adds further pressure ahead of the final El Clasico of the season. Barcelona currently sit 11 points ahead of Real Madrid in the La Liga table, with Madrid's recent victory over RCD Espanyol having delayed Barcelona's title celebrations. Defeat for Madrid this weekend could officially confirm Barcelona as league champions when the two rivals meet at Camp Nou on Sunday.
