Real Madrid

Fede Valverde taken to hospital after training ground fight with Aurélien Tchouaméni

A training session at Valdebebas reportedly ended with a physical clash between Real Madrid teammates, prompting urgent medical attention and internal talks.

Sergio López Roddy Cons

Update: May 7th, 2026 10:42 EDT

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What happened yesterday between Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni was a heated argument. What happened on Thursday was a fight. A serious one. The kind of incident that sets off the loudest alarm bells inside Real Madrid.

Valverde and Tchouaméni reportedly came to blows at the club’s Valdebebas training complex in a confrontation that teammates had to break up. The altercation was serious enough to trigger an emergency meeting inside the locker room.

But that was only part of the fallout.

Valverde reportedly suffered a facial cut during the incident and had to be taken to a nearby hospital for stitches. After receiving treatment at the Blua Sanitas medical center near the training facility, he later returned home. Álvaro Arbeloa accompanied him during the process.

What is happening behind closed doors at Real Madrid no longer looks like isolated tension. It now resembles a full-blown internal crisis.

The clash, in many ways, was a continuation of the turmoil that had already surfaced the previous day.

Second day of tensions in Madrid

Valverde and Tchouaméni reportedly had to be separated after a heated argument during training on the previous day, although the situation did not become physical at that stage.

The two players grabbed at each other and squared up before teammates intervened. Later, once the session ended, there was another intense verbal confrontation inside the locker room. By the end of the day, however, there appeared to be some level of calm restored.

That fragile peace did not last.

“Very uncomfortable” training session

According to reports from inside Valdebebas, Valverde refused to shake Tchouaméni’s hand at the start of training on Thursday morning. The gesture reportedly intensified an already hostile atmosphere.

Members of the squad allegedly described the session as “very uncomfortable” and “unpleasant,” with tensions simmering throughout.

Challenges between the two players reportedly became increasingly aggressive during practice, making the hostility impossible to ignore. Then came the breaking point.

Following another verbal exchange in the locker room after training, the confrontation turned physical.

The incident, first reported by Marca and later confirmed by AS, has internally been described as “extremely serious.”

Fede Valverde taken to hospital after training ground fight with Aurélien Tchouaméni — Tchouaméni and Valverde have lined up regularly alongside one another in the Real Madrid midfield. Denis Doyle

Valverde receives stitches after altercation

The fight reportedly escalated quickly, with players rushing to separate the pair as punches were exchanged.

The scene reflected what sources describe as mounting internal tension within the Real Madrid dressing room, a situation some now believe has become unsustainable.

During the altercation, Valverde reportedly suffered a significant facial cut. Once the injury began bleeding heavily, the club’s medical protocol was activated immediately.

Valverde was then driven to Blua Sanitas Valdebebas, the nearest hospital to the training facility. Arbeloa accompanied him throughout the process.

Doctors treated the injury with stitches before Valverde was later discharged and allowed to return home.

Emergency meeting held at Real Madrid

Inside Valdebebas, the fallout is still unfolding.

According to the report, Real Madrid plans to open disciplinary proceedings against both players and is even considering whether the incident could affect their availability for El Clásico.

At this stage, that scenario is viewed as unlikely given the team’s current roster situation, although it has reportedly not been ruled out entirely.

Following training, Real Madrid general manager José Ángel Sánchez reportedly led an emergency meeting with players in an effort to calm tensions inside the squad.

Club president Florentino Pérez has also reportedly been informed of the situation.