Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have dominated headlines over the past several days following two physical altercations on consecutive days, one of which resulted in Valverde being taken to the hospital. At a press conference on Tuesday, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez confirmed the incident, stating that what made it “even worse” was that it became public knowledge.
Reports of the first confrontation emerged last Wednesday during a training session at Valdebebas, where teammates had to physically intervene to separate Tchouameni and Valverde. The situation escalated the following day, with another clash that turned physical, culminating in Valverde requiring hospital treatment following training.
In the aftermath, Valverde issued a statement in which he did not deny the argument but pushed back against reports of a fistfight with his teammate. “During the argument, I accidentally hit a table and cut my forehead a little, which required a routine trip to the hospital,” he said. Perez, however, confirmed more of what had originally been reported.
At Tuesday’s press conference, called to announce anticipated club elections, the Real Madrid president was asked for his reaction to the incident: “I think it’s very wrong, and even worse that it has come to light. In 26 years, I think it’s terrible that they’ve put this out there. The chaos that some of you (the journalists) have wanted to convey is horrible.“
Florentino Perez, President of Real Madrid.
Rather than focusing on the confrontation itself, Perez directed his sharpest criticism at whoever had leaked the information to the press. “The leak itself is worse because it implies there is something more going on than just a fight, when the very next day they are friends again. The leak seems worse to me—in my 26-year history, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen it,” he added.
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The 2025-26 season has been a massive letdown for Real Madrid, with the club failing to secure silverware in the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League. It marks the first time since the 2020-21 campaign that Los Blancos have finished a season empty-handed, a jarring result given the star-studded roster assembled at the Bernabeu.
President Perez recently weighed in on the club’s shortcomings, while also reminding supporters of the standard established under his leadership: “I share the frustration because we haven’t been able to win anything this year. But I have to tell you and show you that with me as president, we have won 66 titles in football and basketball, including seven European Cups in football.“
