Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder breaks silence after controversial brawl with teammate — “If I face him in World Cup…”
The brawl between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde was one of the most shocking moments of Real Madrid’s turbulent season, which saw the club struggle to win a single major trophy.
Valverde was hospitalised with a head injury, both players were handed hefty fines, and the incident became the defining symbol of a dressing room that had completely fractured under the weight of a second consecutive trophyless campaign.
Now, Tchouameni has spoken publicly about what happened.
Tchouameni sets the record straight
Speaking at a press conference ahead of France’s World Cup preparations, the midfielder addressed the incident directly.
He notably pushed back against some of the more sensational reporting that had surrounded the episode.
“Obviously, things happened; you could see and hear it in the media. It was blown out of proportion because it was in the news, and when you play for Real Madrid, that creates a huge reaction,” he said (h/t Diario SPORT).
“A lot of nonsense was said in the press. I read that there was a fight and that he had punched me, which wasn’t the case. I won’t go into any more details,” he added.
No bad blood with Valverde
Despite the severity of the incident and the weeks the two spent apart on the pitch, Tchouameni insisted there is no lasting animosity between himself and the Uruguayan.
“The most important thing is that the club was aware of what happened. There are many things that happen in the locker room that don’t make it into the press. Life goes on. Fede and I have a common goal: to win titles with Real Madrid. There’s no problem.”
With France and Uruguay both at the World Cup, a potential meeting on the pitch remains a possibility.
“And if I face him in the World Cup, we’ll be eager to win with the French national team. On a personal level, there are no problems with Valverde right now,” he concluded.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
