Real Madrid midfielder, Federico Valverde, will miss Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona after suffering a head injury following an altercation involving teammate Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Spanish club confirmed on Friday that the Uruguay international has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and will remain under observation for between 10 and 14 days.
In a statement, Real Madrid said, “Following tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
“Valverde is at home in good condition and will have to remain at rest for 10 to 14 days, as indicated by the medical protocols for this diagnosis.”
The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday morning at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training base, just days before the club’s crucial La Liga clash against Barcelona.
Initial reports suggested Valverde and Tchouameni were involved in a confrontation in the dressing room after tensions had already developed during training on Wednesday. Spanish media reported that the disagreement later escalated after another verbal exchange.
Valverde, however, denied reports that the pair physically fought, insisting the injury happened accidentally during the argument.
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The 27-year-old explained that he suffered a “small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital” after he “accidentally hit a table”.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Valverde said: “At no point did my team-mate hit me, and I didn’t hit him either, although I understand it’s easier for you to believe we came to blows or that it was intentional, but that didn’t happen.
“I feel that my anger about the situation, my frustration at seeing some of us struggling to get through the end of the season on our last legs, giving it our all, pushed me to the point of arguing with a team-mate.”
The midfielder apologised for the situation and admitted emotions had boiled over during a difficult campaign for the club.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry because this situation hurts me, this moment we’re going through is painful. Real Madrid is one of the most important things in my life, and I can’t just turn a blind eye to it,” he added.
Valverde also confirmed there had been another disagreement between himself and Tchouameni earlier in the week, but insisted such issues are common within football dressing rooms.
“In a normal locker room, these things can happen and are usually resolved internally without it becoming public knowledge,” he said.
Real Madrid have reportedly opened disciplinary proceedings involving both players, while an emergency meeting was held on Thursday evening involving club president Florentino Perez, head coach Alvaro Arbeloa and captain Dani Carvajal.
The absence of Valverde adds to the pressure on Real Madrid ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Nou Camp. The club trail Barcelona by 11 points with four matches remaining and were also eliminated from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
Anything short of a victory against Barcelona would hand the Catalan side a second straight La Liga title with three games left to play.
The latest incident has also intensified scrutiny around the atmosphere within the Real Madrid dressing room. Earlier this week, reports emerged linking Alvaro Carreras and Antonio Rudiger with another disagreement, while sections of supporters have criticised Kylian Mbappe after he travelled to Sardinia during his recovery period.
