Aurelien Tchouameni addresses Federico Valverde incident ahead of El Clasico
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has dismissed reports of a serious dressing room altercation with Federico Valverde, calling the media coverage exaggerated.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Author: Alejandro Ramos
Ahead of the first El Clasico of the season, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has moved to put an end to the speculation regarding his past conflict with teammate Federico Valverde. Speaking on his YouTube show, the Frenchman emphasized that the incident, which occurred last season, was blown out of proportion due to the club's high profile.
Reports from last May suggested a major altercation that led to medical attention for Valverde and hefty fines for both players. However, Tchouameni maintains that the narrative was far from reality:
I want to clarify everything: there was no fight like people say. Things happen in the locker room, sometimes things go wrong. The only problem is that when you play for Real, any small thing becomes huge. Aurelien Tchouameni
The midfielder confirmed that there is full understanding within the squad and that the experience has not affected their professional relationship. Head coach Jose Mourinho, who arrived this summer, has also noted that he started with a clean slate and has observed no lingering animosity between the two, as they continue to feature together in the starting XI.
This clarity comes at a crucial time as Real Madrid prepares to face Barcelona at the Camp Nou this Sunday. With a six-point gap to bridge in the La Liga standings, internal squad stability is vital for the team's ambitions in Spain's most significant match.