Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were involved in two separate incidents this week.
Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images
Alvaro Arbeloa has publicly backed his players following the altercations between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, insisting he will not “publicly crucify them in the town square.”
The Real Madrid head coach also confirmed that Tchouameni will be included in the squad for Sunday’s Clásico, a match that could decide the La Liga title, and stressed that the dressing room atmosphere remains healthy.
“I am extremely proud of how decisively and transparently the club handled the situation,” Arbeloa stated on Saturday, ahead of the trip to Camp Nou. “Secondly, the players have apologized to the club, the fans, and their teammates. What I will not do is burn them at the stake in a public square. They have shown me what it truly means to be a Real Madrid player.”
He added: “It is completely false—absolutely false—that they have disrespected me or that their private conduct reflects unacceptable behavior.”
Arbeloa, who replaced the sacked Xabi Alonso in January, said that “if anyone needs to be blamed, blame me.”
“I once had a teammate who struck another teammate with a golf club,” he continued. “What happens in Real Madrid’s dressing room should remain there. These are incidents that should not happen, but they always have. I’m not excusing it, but I’ve certainly witnessed situations that were almost worse.”
Tchouameni (right) will travel with Arbeloa’s squad for the Clásico (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Spaniard also referenced Juanito, who played for Madrid for a decade between 1977 and 1987 and won five La Liga titles, as a model for the club.
“Did Juanito never make mistakes? Yet he is the only player, I believe, that we still sing about. So how can I not make mistakes myself?” he asked.
Valverde and Tchouameni were each fined €500,000 (£432,100; $588,520) following a dressing-room fight on Thursday. According to sources briefed on the incident, the altercation resulted in Valverde being taken to hospital for evaluation after sustaining a head injury. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships.
Real Madrid confirmed on Thursday that Valverde had been diagnosed with “cranioencephalic traumatism” after tests by the medical team. He has been ordered to rest for 10-14 days, ruling him out of Sunday’s Clásico. This was the second clash between the pair, following an earlier dispute on Wednesday.
These incidents come after Kylian Mbappe was involved in a heated exchange with a Madrid staff member last month, and Antonio Rudiger apologized for his role in a tense argument with a teammate.
Madrid head into Camp Nou on Sunday trailing Barcelona by 11 points. A single point would secure the league title for Barcelona.
**How Arbeloa Navigated the Pressure Over Madrid’s Tensions**
Arbeloa walked into what was arguably the toughest press conference of his coaching career—and not because of Sunday’s Clásico. Instead, the session quickly shifted to questions about the reported altercation between Valverde and Tchouameni, set against a backdrop of growing tension at the club.
To the surprise of many in the room, he did not try to shut down the discussion. If anything, he elaborated more than expected, delivering several responses with an oddly sarcastic tone. That openness—perhaps a consequence of a season now lacking high stakes—occasionally pushed him into uncomfortable territory.
