MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde suffered a head injury in an altercation with teammate Aurélien Choameny on Thursday ahead of a weekend game, the club announced. A match against strong enemy Barcelona.
It was the latest turmoil for a Madrid team that has endured a tough season, including lackluster results, changes in coaches and fans. star criticism Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, etc.
Madrid could see Barcelona celebrate their league win in the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday. The Catalan club only needs a draw to win their second consecutive league title.
madrid said in a statement “Following an incident that occurred this morning during first-team training, we have decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings against our players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Choameni,” the club said on Thursday.
Valverde downplayed the incident on Instagram, saying there was no punching. He said he accidentally hit a table during the collision and sustained a head injury. Valverde said he suffered a minor cut and required a short hospital stay.
Valverde, 27, could miss the final four games of the domestic season due to injury.
“Today, after tests carried out on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Service, he was diagnosed with cerebral trauma,” the club said in a statement. In another injury update on Thursday.
“Valverde is at home in good condition and will require 10 to 14 days of rest, as indicated by the medical protocols for this diagnosis.”
Valverde is an important midfielder for Uruguay, world cup group h. Uruguay’s first match will be against Saudi Arabia on June 15th.
Valverde apologized for the “senseless fight” with his team-mate, and did not specifically name Choameni, but said “everything was thrown out of proportion” after a frustrating long season.
“Everything has become bigger for Madrid after a titleless season,” Valverde wrote on Instagram. “I feel like my anger and frustration pushed me to the point of arguing with my teammates as I watched others struggle to get through the end of the season at their best.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry because this situation is hurting me and this moment that we’re going through is hurting me.”
The team did not provide a timeline for the disciplinary proceedings.
“The club will provide an update regarding the resolution of both lawsuits once the corresponding internal procedures have been completed,” the club said.
The 26-year-old France international has not reported any injuries but has not made any official comment.
This was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Defender Alvaro Carreras admitted on Instagram that he was involved in an “incident with a colleague”. He said this was a “minor” and “isolated” issue that had “already been resolved”.
According to Spanish media, he and defender Antonio Rudiger got into a scuffle during team training.
Madrid are coming to the end of the season without winning a major title. In the Champions League, they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich, in the Copa del Rey they were eliminated in the round of 16 by second division club Albacete, and in the Spanish Super Cup they were runners-up to Barcelona.
The team made an unusual addition in January, replacing Xabi Alonso. Coach change mid-season After he and some of the team’s top players didn’t get along.
Other players, including Vinicius and Bellingham, were criticized by fans as the team struggled early in the season. Both players were loudly jeered by the home crowd during some of the matches played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
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AP Sports Writer Ken Maguire contributed from London.
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