Bernabéu judgment day for Real Madrid’s Valverde
Federico Valverde is in line to return to action for Real Madrid today, in his first Bernabéu appearance since his fight with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Federico Valverde has come through what was likely the most difficult stretch of his Real Madrid career. The two days of tension with Aurélien Tchouaméni escalated into a locker-room altercation in which the Uruguayan came off worse - he was struck and suffered a head wound that required hospital treatment and time at home to recover from a concussion. But the midfielder is back training at full speed and is expected to be available against Athletic Club.
Now the focus shifts to how the Estadio Bernabéu will greet Valverde in the wake of those events. In Tchouaméni’s case, during Madrid’s clash with Real Oviedo nine days ago, the Frenchman got through it without facing much of a hostile reception - just a smattering of whistles when the starting lineups were announced, and little else. Valverde bore the brunt of that confrontation, and the stadium’s verdict this time around remains to be seen.
Valverde jeered already this season
It wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory. Earlier this season, he did hear whistles - most notably during that home match against Levante, when the crowd made its feelings clear and singled out players following Xabi Alonso’s dismissal. At the start of the campaign, Valverde had pushed back against being used at right back in times of need - despite his strong performances there - and he was identified as one of the voices in the locker room opposed to Alonso.
That undercurrent could resurface today at the Bernabéu, as Madrid closes out the season against Athletic in a match with nothing riding on it. Valverde is wrapping up a difficult campaign - no trophies, uneven form, and a highly publicized clash with a teammate that resulted in a €500,000 ($580,000) fine for each player from the club.
Madrid considers the matter closed, as do the players, who apologized to each other and to the squad for what happened. What remains is the Bernabéu’s final judgment - before a demanding summer for the Uruguayan. A World Cup looms, where he’ll face Spain in the group stage, and next season, barring any changes to the captaincy hierarchy (which is currently under discussion), he is in line to become Madrid’s next captain following Dani Carvajal’s departure.
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