Real Madrid News
Real Madrid star Federico Valverde will not face any sanctions over Alex Baena incident
In what will come as a major relief for Real Madrid, midfielder Federico Valverde is unlikely to face any sanctions over the incident involving him and Alex Baena towards the end of the last season, reports Jorge Calabres of El Espanol.
Valverde and Baena were involved in an ugly altercation right after a league encounter between Real Madrid and Villarreal back in April.
The pair had engaged in verbal altercations while on the pitch during the game as well as an earlier meeting between the two teams in the Copa del Rey in January.
It was alleged that Baena had hurled insults against Valverde and his wife, who was facing complications with pregnancy at the time.
Things escalated at the Santiago Bernabeu and after the game, the Uruguayan international was reported to have punched Baena in the bus park area.
Following the incident, the matter was taken to the Competitions Committee for investigation. And it had been suggested that Valverde could be handed a four-match ban for his involvement in the bust-up based on the recommendation of an investigating judge.
However, after carefully studying the complaints and the statements from all parties involved, the Competitions Committee is understood to have decided not to sanction Valverde.
It is said that Baena’s statements presented serious inconsistencies in relation to the video recordings of the incident at the Santiago Bernabeu which were submitted to the police.
As such, the Competitions Committee has now decided not to go ahead and hit the 25-year-old midfielder with a sanction. An appeal could be filed against the verdict in the coming days, though, and it remains to be seen if Baena or Villarreal decide to follow that path.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
