Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde was taken to hospital after a fight with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni in training, according to sources cited by ESPN. The incident happened just three days before the Clásico against Barcelona, adding more tension to an already unsettled period at the club.
Valverde needed stitches after suffering a cut during the altercation, one source said. The clash reportedly began at the end of a training session that followed a practice match marked by heavy challenges.
What happened in training
Sources told ESPN that the situation escalated after Tchouaméni returned to the changing room and Valverde followed shortly after while still visibly angry. The argument then turned physical, with the two players confronting each other inside the dressing room.
A second source gave a different sequence of events, saying Valverde kicked Tchouaméni during training, after which both players exchanged insults. That source added that Tchouaméni then moved toward Valverde and struck him heavily.
Signs of growing dressing-room tension
The confrontation did not appear to come out of nowhere, as one source told ESPN that the tension between the two had been building since Xabi Alonso was still at the club. That detail adds to the picture of a squad dealing with deeper friction beyond a single training-ground flashpoint.
ESPN also reported that Valverde’s camp was contacted for his version of events, but they declined to comment. Real Madrid also did not respond when asked whether the club planned to investigate what happened between the players.
More problems inside the squad
The Valverde-Tchouaméni clash is only the latest sign of unrest at Real Madrid, with ESPN previously reporting multiple episodes of tension inside the dressing room. Sources said results have already spilled into daily life at Valdebebas, where several incidents have been recorded since the start of the season.
One of those earlier flashpoints involved Antonio Rüdiger, who reportedly lost his temper and was involved in a heated altercation with a teammate at Valdebebas. ESPN did not identify the other player at the time, although Álvaro Carreras later confirmed in a statement that he had been in a confrontation with a teammate.
There were also reported disagreements between manager Álvaro Arbeloa and several players, including Dani Ceballos and Raúl Asencio. In addition, ESPN reported a long-standing lack of rapport between club captain Dani Carvajal and Arbeloa since the coach took charge.
Pressure before the Clásico
Real Madrid travel to Barcelona facing uncertainty and without a trophy to show for another difficult season. The timing of the latest training-ground fight has only intensified scrutiny on a squad already described by sources as strained and divided.
ESPN had earlier reported that Xabi Alonso left the club with friction involving Vinícius Júnior, Valverde and Jude Bellingham, while other sources said Kylian Mbappé had also been involved in recent incidents with members of Arbeloa’s staff. Madrid are now still searching for what would be their fourth manager in the last two years, with sources saying there are different views over the next appointment and a long list of candidates being discussed.
