Atletico Madrid and Spain midfielder Alex Baena has addressed his long-running rivalry with Real Madrid and Uruguay ace Federico Valverde ahead of the two nations’ meeting at the FIFA World Cup.

Speaking during an interview with El Partidazo de COPE (h/t MARCA), Baena reflected on the relationship that has remained under the spotlight since their infamous altercation in 2023, insisting that any tension between the pair appears to affect his opponent more than himself.

Baena speaks out

Asked whether facing Valverde again would create extra pressure, when Spain take on Uruguay at the World Cup Baena dismissed the suggestion with a light-hearted response.

“No… from what I’ve seen, it seems to affect him a bit more than me,” the Atletico ace said.

The Atletico Madrid midfielder added that, despite everything that has happened between them, their interactions before matches have remained respectful.

“We’ve always been respectful toward each other and we’ve shaken hands before games.”

However, Baena admitted he still does not know whether the Real Madrid midfielder has moved on from their previous disputes.

“Maybe Valverde has a certain fixation on me. I’ve never asked him whether he still holds a grudge or whether he’s forgiven me. Maybe he has, or maybe it was simply part of the game. I don’t know.”

Reflecting on their most recent meeting, during which Valverde was sent off, Baena suggested there may have been more to the challenge than just football.

“Watching the incident back, I think there may have been a bit of fixation. But football moves so quickly. If it had been another teammate, maybe the same thing would have happened.”

The incident that sparked the feud

The rivalry between Baena and Valverde dates back to April 2023 following a La Liga match between Real Madrid and Villarreal.

After a heated encounter on the pitch, Valverde confronted Baena in the stadium parking area, where he allegedly struck the midfielder following claims that offensive comments had been made about his family during previous meetings.

People close to Valverde later claimed that Baena had made remarks regarding the difficult pregnancy experienced by Valverde and his partner.

According to that version of events, the confrontation stemmed from comments allegedly directed at the midfielder during both a Copa del Rey match and their subsequent league meeting.

Baena immediately and publicly denied ever making those comments, rejecting the accusations through his social media accounts.

Since that incident, the relationship between the two midfielders has remained distant.

Although they have consistently behaved professionally before matches, every meeting between them has carried an added layer of tension, both on and off the pitch.

Their upcoming World Cup clash between Spain and Uruguay will therefore attract additional attention, not only because of the importance of the fixture but also because it marks another chapter in one of the game’s most talked-about personal rivalries.