Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde was rushed to hospital after a physical altercation with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni at the Valdebebas training center on Thursday.
The incident prompted an emergency meeting at Real Madrid as the crisis continues.
The intense atmosphere at the club escalated just one day after Spanish media reported that the two midfielders had nearly come to blows during Wednesday’s session. According to Marca, the conflict remained unresolved and flared up with even greater intensity during the next day’s training.
When the squad gathered on Thursday morning, Valverde reportedly refused to shake Tchouameni’s hand, setting a hostile tone for the session. The situation was completely out of control when the players returned to the dressing room.
During a serious scuffle, Valverde suffered an accidental injury when he fell and struck his head on a table. The impact caused a significant cut that required a trip to hospital for stitches.
Another Spanish newspaper, Diario AS, reported that Tchouameni punched Valverde in the face, knocked him to the floor and stunned him, which resulted in hospitalization.
The friction between the two has been simmering for some time, reportedly stemming from Valverde’s aggressive tackles during training, which ultimately caused Tchouameni to lose his temper. The incident highlights an increasingly fractured and divided Real Madrid locker room.
Following the fight, Real Madrid GM Jose Angel Sanchez arrived at Valdebebas to hold an emergency meeting with the entire squad. No player was permitted to leave the facility before the meeting concluded.
However, as the players finally departed, star forward Kylian Mbappe was spotted driving away while laughing loudly, a reaction that has sparked further outrage among an already frustrated fanbase.
Real Madrid have initiated formal disciplinary proceedings against both Valverde, 27, and Tchouameni, 26. The club are reportedly considering indefinite bans and severe sanctions for both players as they look to regain control of the dressing room.
Real Madrid are going through their most difficult period in recent years. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad face the risk of ending a second consecutive season without a major trophy and trail significantly behind rivals Barcelona in the La Liga title race. This weekend’s crucial El Clásico at Camp Nou could seal the fate of the team’s campaign.
The Valverde-Tchouameni incident is just the latest in a chain of Real Madrid’s internal scandals. Just days prior, Antonio Rudiger was involved in a heated confrontation where he reportedly slapped defender Alvaro Carreras, which was later resolved.
Additionally, Mbappe has faced criticism for a series of internal frictions, including insulting an assistant coach during a practice match.
Mental fatigue and personal conflicts are gripping the squad, pushing the team deep into instability. Reports indicate that several groups of players have completely stopped communicating with one another, while relationships between key figures and the coaching staff have broken down.
