Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni have been at the center of a hectic week for Real Madrid, just ahead of facing Barcelona in a match that could prove decisive in the La Liga title race. In that context, Alvaro Arbeloa addressed the situation.
“I have to say two things,” the Real Madrid coach began during Saturday’s press conference. “First, I am very proud of the firmness, speed, and transparency with which the club acted. And second, the players have already expressed their regret. They acknowledged their mistake. They accepted the consequences of what they did and apologized to the fans, the club, the locker room… and to me. That is enough for me.”
After defending the personal and professional qualities of Valverde and Tchouameni, insisting that they “represent very well what Real Madrid are about,” Arbeloa added: “I’m not going to burn my players at the stake publicly, because they do not deserve that.”
The coach then took an unexpected turn in his remarks and pointed to what he considers the real issue. “The fact that things happening inside the locker room are being leaked seems like treason against Real Madrid to me,” he said firmly. “An absolute act of disloyalty toward this badge. And it makes me very sad.”
Tchouameni and Valverde.
Arbeloa recalls similar fights between teammates
During the same press conference, a reporter asked Alvaro Arbeloa whether he truly believed the conflict had not been that serious and had instead been exaggerated by the media. “Look… I had a teammate once who picked up a golf club and hit another teammate with it,” the coach responded.
see also
Aurelien Tchouameni’s self-critical message amid scandal with Real Madrid teammate Federico Valverde
“These are situations that should not happen between teammates, but they have always happened. Everywhere. And I’m not justifying it, not at all. But of course I’ve experienced even worse situations,” added Arbeloa, who played for Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna, Liverpool, and West Ham between 2002 and 2017.
Real Madrid prepare for El Clasico
Amid this backdrop of internal conflict and chaos, Real Madrid now face the final major challenge of the 2025-26 season. On Sunday, they will visit Barcelona at Camp Nou in a match they must win to prevent their rivals from clinching the La Liga title.
“Let’s not forget that tomorrow is Barcelona vs. Real Madrid,” Arbeloa said amid the nonstop questions regarding the conflict between Valverde and Tchouameni. “It is the match that draws the most attention in the world… I hope it will be a great match against a great opponent.”
