Unrest in Madrid
Half a million: star players receive hefty fines
Updated May 8, 2026 – 5:56 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Shortly before the Clásico there was a crash at Real Madrid: After a fight in the dressing room, one of the people in the fight put media reports into perspective, but made other accusations.
Following media reports of a violent scuffle in the Real Madrid dressing room, Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde has insisted that teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni did not hit him and that he did not hit him either. “During the argument, I accidentally hit my forehead against a table, sustaining a small cut that required a routine hospital visit,” he wrote on Instagram Thursday evening. Tchouaméni initially did not comment on the feud.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry because the situation hurts me, the moment we’re going through hurts me,” Valverde added.
Spanish sports media had previously reported a bleeding laceration on the head that had to be stitched up by sports doctors on site. Real Madrid told X that the 27-year-old had suffered a traumatic brain injury and would have to recover for ten to 14 days. His condition is stable.
As the Spanish sports newspaper “Marca” reported, Valverde refused to shake Tchouaméni’s hand that morning. This led to a very hostile training session, which culminated in a violent argument in the dressing room. In the ensuing argument between the two, the Uruguayan suffered a laceration on the edge of a table unintentionally and not caused by a punch from Tchouaméni. The two are said to have clashed during training on Wednesday.
Real Madrid had initiated disciplinary proceedings against the disputers. The result: a fine of 500,000 euros each. The Spanish record champions announced this on Friday. The two players who clashed before the Clásico against FC Barcelona have accepted the punishment. The disciplinary proceedings are now concluded. Valverde and Tchouaméni “showed regret for what happened and apologized,” it said, also “to the club, their teammates, the coaching staff and the fans.”
