Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde was hospitalised with a head injury following a dressing room row with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, just days before Real Madrid face Barcelona.
The club has opened disciplinary proceedings against both players.
Valverde’s Injury and Response
Valverde explained that his injury, which will keep him out of Sunday’s match against Barcelona, was caused when he “accidentally hit a table.” He described it as a “small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital” during an argument.
Real Madrid stated that Valverde, 27, has been diagnosed with a cranioencephalic trauma, a type of concussion. The club added that Valverde is at home in good condition and will need to rest for 10 to 14 days, as per medical protocols.
Valverde addressed the situation on Instagram, denying any physical blows were exchanged. “At no point did my team-mate hit me, and I didn’t hit him either, although I understand it’s easier for you to believe we came to blows or that it was intentional, but that didn’t happen,” he stated.
Fallout From a Disappointing Season
Valverde expressed frustration with the team’s performance this season. “I feel that my anger about the situation, my frustration at seeing some of us struggling to get through the end of the season on our last legs, giving it our all, pushed me to the point of arguing with a team-mate,” he said.
He added, “I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry because this situation hurts me, this moment we’re going through is painful. Real Madrid is one of the most important things in my life, and I can’t just turn a blind eye to it.”
Valverde acknowledged reports of a previous argument on Wednesday. He also suggested that someone within the club is spreading rumours, saying “Clearly, someone here is spreading rumours, and with a season without titles, where Real Madrid is always under scrutiny, everything gets blown out of proportion.”
Emergency Meeting and Title Implications
An emergency meeting was held on Thursday evening. Those in attendance were Real president Florentino Perez, his staff, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, and club captain Dani Carvajal.
Real Madrid have had a disappointing season. They are 11 points behind Barcelona in La Liga with four games remaining. They also exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, with Valverde describing it as another “wasted year”.
Anything other than a win for Real in Sunday’s El Clasico at the Nou Camp will hand Barcelona a second consecutive La Liga title, with three games to spare.