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Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni has opened up about the confrontation between himself and Federico Valverde that took place last spring, which left the Uruguayan needing hospital treatment. While he denied that punches were thrown, he acknowledged that "something ugly happened."
The incident unfolded during the turbulent closing weeks of Real Madrid's 2025–26 campaign. According to reports, Tchouaméni and Valverde clashed in the dressing room, leaving the latter requiring stitches for a head wound that kept him sidelined for three matches.
Valverde broke his silence on the matter shortly after, and both players were handed €500,000 ($580,000) fines by the club. The French midfielder also commented on the situation in the early stages of the World Cup; but now, nearly six months on from the incident, Tchouaméni sat down on The Bridge to give a more candid account of events.
"People say a lot of things, but there was no fight between Valverde and me," Tchouameni said. "Yes, things do happen in the dressing room, but we never came to blows. There may have been some indirect remarks or something along those lines, but I never physically fought with Valverde.
"Something ugly did happen, that's true, but the issue is that this is Real Madrid — any situation, no matter how minor, gets amplified and attracts enormous media scrutiny. So something that wasn't really a big deal ends up becoming one."
Tchouaméni Reveals Incident Made Him 'Closer' With Valverde
The widely-reported incident led many to speculate that one of the two midfielders would be forced out of the club during the summer transfer window. Ultimately, both Tchouaméni and Valverde remained in Madrid, and new head coach José Mourinho noted that he didn't even need to intervene upon his arrival, as the two had already restored their relationship.
Tchouaméni backed up his manager's assessment, confirming he is on good terms with Valverde and suggesting the episode may have actually brought them closer together.
"If you walked into the dressing room today, as Mourinho said, you'd see that Valverde and I are absolutely fine," Tchouaméni said. "There's no issue between us. On the pitch there's no problem either — life moves on.
"In fact, situations like this can sometimes bring you closer to someone. We're good, there's no problem between us."
Tchouaméni, Valverde Remain Vital for Real Madrid Ahead of El Clásico
While Tchouaméni and Valverde appear to have mended their off-pitch relationship, Real Madrid have continued to struggle against top-level opposition when the two are paired together in midfield — a recurring issue over the past two seasons.
Both players remain important figures under Mourinho, but following a string of unconvincing displays, the Portuguese boss appears to have recently settled on his preferred starting lineup — one that features both men, though not necessarily alongside each other in the center of the park.
Valverde may not be entirely thrilled with the arrangement, but he has delivered standout performances over the last two matches operating as Real Madrid's right back and is set to continue in that role. Meanwhile, despite sitting out the most recent fixture, Tchouaméni looked noticeably more assured and influential with Arda Güler alongside him in midfield — a dynamic reminiscent of his previous partnership with fellow French international Eduardo Camavinga.
Both Tchouaméni and Valverde are expected to be in the starting lineup when Real Madrid travel to face Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Sunday for the opening El Clásico of the 2026–27 season.
Los Blancos head into the fixture in strong form, having claimed four consecutive victories since the September–October international break; however, this represents their sternest challenge yet against their fiercest rivals. A defeat on Sunday would see Real Madrid fall nine points adrift of Barça in the table, dealing a serious blow to their La Liga title ambitions with more than two-thirds of the season still to play.