Real Madrid: Federico Valverde suffers head trauma after altercation with French Aurélien Tchouaméni

A heated argument took place on Thursday, May 7 at the Real Madrid training center between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, as reported by Radio France sports department, confirming information from the Spanish newspaper Marca. Federico Valverde suffered a “head injury trauma” as later announced by Real Madrid in a statement.

The genesis of the altercation dates back to the day before when during a training session, the French international Aurelien Tchouameni was the victim of a violent tackle by the Uruguayan player. The French player complained to the staff about it. The two players have a strained relationship, according to sources close to the players.

On Thursday, upon arriving at the training center, Federico Valverde refused to shake hands with the former Girondins de Bordeaux player. This led to a confrontation between the two players, with Aurelien Tchouameni allegedly repeatedly hurling insults. In the scuffle, the Uruguayan was pushed, lost balance, and hit his head against a table corner.

After receiving stitches at the hospital, Real Madrid announced in a statement that Federico Valverde returned “home in good condition”. The player “will have to rest for 10 to 14 days, following medical protocols for this diagnosis”. Consequently, the Uruguayan will miss the upcoming classic match against FC Barcelona on Sunday, a decisive game in the race for the La Liga title, the Spanish championship. If Real Madrid fails to win, Barcelona will be crowned champions of Spain.

Following this clash between the two players, an internal investigation has been opened at Real Madrid. According to a source close to the Radio France sports department, this altercation could result in consequences for both players, as they could be sidelined “until the end of the season”.

“At no point did my teammate hit me,” Federico Valverde explained on his Instagram account on Thursday evening. “I accidentally hit a table,” he wrote. “It caused a small cut on my forehead.” Hospitalized, the Real Madrid midfielder received several stitches. “In a normal locker room, these things can happen without coming to light,”

Federico Valverde expressed regret “I am sincerely sorry, because this situation hurts me, and the moment we are going through also hurts me.” Real Madrid is under pressure in recent days and could face a second consecutive year without a major trophy. On Sunday, they play against FC Barcelona, and a failure to win would allow Barcelona to secure their 29th La Liga title.