“I won’t allow all this to be taken advantage of to doubt my players’ professionalism,” says Real Madrid manager
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has rejected further criticism of Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni after their training-ground fight.
Madrid confirmed on Friday that both players had been fined after clashing at Valdebebas, with Valverde requiring hospital treatment for a head injury. The incident is the latest in a series of reported tensions behind the scenes at the club.
Arbeloa said both players had accepted responsibility for what happened. “The two players have expressed regret, they’ve admitted their mistakes, they’ve accepted the consequences, and they’ve apologised,” Arbeloa said.
“That’s enough for me. I won’t burn my players at the stake. They don’t deserve it, neither of them.”
Reports suggested the pair were involved in a heated exchange during training sessions on both Wednesday and Thursday before the confrontation escalated in the dressing room. Both players have denied claims that Tchouameni punched Valverde, insisting the midfielder fell and hit his head.
Arbeloa strongly backed both men and rejected suggestions that the incident reflected a lack of professionalism within the squad.
“Valverde and Tchouameni are two players who represent well what Real Madrid is,” Arbeloa said. “They deserve an opportunity to keep fighting for this club. I’m very proud of them. I won’t allow all this to be taken advantage of to doubt my players’ professionalism.”
The Madrid coach also pushed back against reports of wider unrest in the squad, including claims of disagreements with players such as Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos and Raúl Asencio.
“A lot of lies are being said,” Arbeloa said. “It’s a lie that my players aren’t professional. It’s a complete lie that my players have shown me a lack of respect, not once. It’s a lie that players don’t play because they have a problem with me, or that their lives don’t live up to what a Real Madrid player’s should be. That’s totally false.”
Arbeloa appeared particularly frustrated by details from inside the dressing room becoming public.
“The most serious thing for me, what hurts me most, is that what happens in the Real Madrid dressing room should stay there,” Arbeloa said. “If things that happen in the dressing room are leaked, I think it’s a betrayal of Real Madrid and what this badge represents.”
The coach declined to speculate on the source of the leaks. “I don’t work for the CIA or anything like that,” Arbeloa said. “I’m not accusing the players, or anybody. There are a lot of people around the Real Madrid first team, I’m not here to point the finger at anyone.”
