Real Madrid have imposed a combined fine of €1 million on midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde following an altercation in the team’s dressing room.
Valverde, 27, required a hospital visit after the dispute with 26-year-old France international Tchouameni, though the Uruguayan denied that physical blows were exchanged. He attributed the head injury—which will sideline him for Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona—to accidentally hitting a table.
Both players attended an internal disciplinary hearing on Friday and accepted individual fines of €500,000 each. In a club statement, Real Madrid said: “During the appearance, the players expressed deep regret for what happened and apologized to one another. They have also apologized to the club, their teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans. Both have made themselves available to accept whatever sanction the club deems appropriate.”
Valverde was diagnosed with a concussion, but wrote on Instagram that the incident involved a “small cut on my forehead that required a routine hospital visit” during what he described as a heated argument.
Tchouameni issued a public apology on social media, calling the incident “unacceptable” while dismissing exaggerated online rumors. “The internet loves to invent the wildest stories for the buzz, so don’t believe everything being said or the false narrative,” he wrote. “No matter who is right or wrong, we should always seek the calmest solution to resolve a conflict. Now is not the time to figure out who did what or who was right or wrong. I acknowledge the club’s sanction and accept it.”
The Frenchman acknowledged that while such disputes can occur in any dressing room, they are “not worthy of Real Madrid” as the world’s most talked-about club. He added: “We remain a family, with disagreements at times, but we must always put our objectives above everything else. I have apologized to the group and to all Madridistas. Now it is time to move forward, with all our focus on El Clásico and the season ahead, to bring the club back to the top, where it belongs.”