Real Madrid Fines Valverde, Tchouaméni €500,000 Each for Altercation

Real Madrid has fined midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni €500,000 each for an altercation during practice on Thursday. The fines were imposed after both players expressed remorse and apologized to the club, teammates, and supporters.

The incident occurred during a training session, with Valverde suffering a small cut on his head that required a brief hospital visit. Valverde initially downplayed the incident on social media, calling it a “meaningless fight” that had been blown out of proportion.

The fines reflect the reputational damage the club has suffered in a chaotic end to a disappointing season. Tchouaméni was back training with the team on Friday, while Valverde was absent due to his injury. Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month.

The incident has raised questions about team discipline and morale, with Spanish media reporting that the players had previously disagreed over the club’s decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go. The team’s coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, will face questions on the incident at a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico against Barcelona.

The team will play at Barcelona on Sunday, with Madrid needing a win to prevent Barcelona from being crowned La Liga champion. The club’s president, Florentino Pérez, is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to address the team’s underperformance.