Aurelien Tchouameni has downplayed the recent tensions with his Real Madrid teammate Federico Valverde, emphasizing that both players are focused on achieving success with the club. The two midfielders were involved in two incidents during training last month, with the second one resulting in Valverde requiring hospital treatment.
The Uruguay international hit his head on a table during the confrontation and sustained a cut that was treated by medical staff at the hospital. The incident is well-documented, with both players fined €500,000 (£432,100) by the club and issuing public apologies for their actions.
In a statement, Valverde explained: “I had an incident with a teammate stemming from a play during training, a situation where the fatigue of competition and sheer frustration caused everything to get blown out of proportion. Today, we had another run-in. During the argument, I accidentally struck a table, sustaining a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital. My teammate [Tchouameni] didn’t hit me, nor did I hit him. Although I understand that for you it might be easier to believe that we beat the hell out of each other or that he intentionally injured me, that is not what happened.”
The Frenchman has now addressed the situation while preparing for the World Cup with his country. The tension at Real Madrid has led to speculation about a potential summer move for Tchouameni, with Manchester United reportedly interested in his signature. However, he has dismissed the issue with Valverde and stated that his focus remains on winning titles with the Spanish giants.
“Certain events have occurred, and you’ve all seen the coverage,” he said. “But this situation has been blown out of proportion. At Real Madrid, everything provokes a massive reaction. Still, a lot of nonsense has appeared in the press.”
“I’ve read that there was a fight and that I’m supposed to have hit him. That’s simply not true. I won’t go into any further detail.” He added: “The most important thing is that the club knows what happened. So many things happen in the dressing room that the media never find out about. Life goes on. Fede and I have one clear goal: to win titles with Real Madrid. There are absolutely no problems.”
On the possibility of facing his Real Madrid teammate at the World Cup this summer, he said: “Of course I want to win with France then. But personally, there are no issues with Fede.” A France vs Uruguay clash does not seem likely, with the teams not in the same group and every chance they qualify for the knockout stages on opposite sides of the draw.
France begin their campaign against Senegal on June 16, with Uruguay’s first match against Saudi Arabia the day before. Previews of every single World Cup team in your inbox, featuring the players to look out for, games you shouldn’t miss and’s big England predictions.
