Last month, Real Madrid was rocked when it was leaked that Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni had come to blows during a training session in the lead-up to El Clasico. Both players were heavily fined over the matter, which saw the former hospitalised after suffering a concussion.
Valverde missed matches against Barcelona, Real Oviedo and Sevilla as part of the concussion protocol, before returning against Athletic Club on the final day of the 2025-26 season. Both he and Tchouameni have moved on from the incident, although the after-effects are still there for the Uruguayan midfielder, who was spotted sporting a scar on his forehead, believed to be from hitting his head during the aforementioned scuffle.
The incident with Valverde and Tchouameni was the breaking point for dressing room divisions at Real Madrid, although the matter does still appear to be ongoing, with Kylian Mbappe at the heart of it now. However, the club hopes that everything can be resolved when the new manager comes in, which would be Jose Mourinho in the case of Florentino Perez retaining the presidency after this weekend’s vote.
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Valverde reacts to Real Madrid captaincy appointment
Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images
This week, Valverde spoke to AUF TV (via MD) on the news that he has been confirmed as Real Madrid’s new captain, following the departure of predecessor Dani Carvajal. He expressed his pride at the prospect of leading the club of his life, whom he skippered on numerous occasions during the 2025-26 season as a stand-in.
“It is something incredible. I never imagined being captain of Real Madrid and I enjoy it to the fullest every time I have to wear it. It involves a band of pressure, when you don’t have it you want it, and when you have it you want to have a little peace.”
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