Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde was taken to a hospital near the club's Valdebebas training base after sustaining a facial injury during a physical altercation with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni. The incident occurred following a training session on Thursday, with Valdebebas coach Alvaro Arbeloa accompanying Valverde to the medical facility. Valverde required stitches for the wound, which Spanish outlet Marca reported was not caused directly by a punch from Tchouaméni.
The confrontation followed an earlier argument between the two players during Wednesday's training. Reports indicate Valverde refused to shake Tchouaméni's hand and later fouled him in Thursday's session, leading to a scuffle that continued in the dressing room. Marca stated the injury was unintentional. Valverde had scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 3-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on March 11, 2026.
Real Madrid and the players' representatives did not respond to AFP's requests for comment. Tensions within the squad have risen as the club faces the possibility of finishing a second straight season without a major trophy. The team is set to face Barcelona in a La Liga Clásico on Sunday. Barcelona leads the league by 11 points and can secure back-to-back titles with a draw or win.
Valverde played hero just days before becoming a dressing room casualty, revealing how quickly fortunes shift in a crumbling campaign. The team's trophy drought is now mirrored in its internal fractures. When pride and pressure collide, even allies become threats. This isn't discipline failing — it's a season unraveling in real time.
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