Real Madrid’s simmering tensions have spilled over with Federico Valverde and Frenchman Aurelien Tchouameni involved in a dressing room fight, which resulted in the Uruguayan being taken to hospital with a cut head, several club sources have said.
Real later confirmed that team captain Valverde, who was subsequently discharged, sustained a head injury and will be sidelined for up to two weeks.
“Following tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by Real Madrid’s medical team, he has been diagnosed with a head trauma,” the club said in a statement.
“Valverde is at home and in good condition; he will need to rest for between 10 and 14 days, in line with medical protocols for this diagnosis.”
The incident unfolded at the club’s Valdebebas training ground the day after an earlier altercation between the pair.
A Real Madrid spokesperson told the Reuters news agency he would not comment on what happens inside the changing room, but the club later said disciplinary proceedings have been opened against both players.
“Real Madrid announces that, following the incidents that took place this morning during the first team training session, it has decided to open disciplinary proceedings against our players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni,” a statement said.
“The club will announce the outcomes of both cases in due course, once the relevant internal procedures have been completed.”Valverde is a key midfielder for Uruguay, which will play in Group H at the World Cup. Uruguay’s first game is against Saudi Arabia on June 15.
The 27-year-old later posted a statement on social media apologising to the club and its supporters, but denied that things got out of hand with a teammate, saying that during “an argument” he had “accidentally knocked over a table”.