MADRID, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid is in crisis just days ahead of the El Clasico away to FC Barcelona as a result of the training ground incident between midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde, which ended with Valverde needing stitches in a nearby hospital on Thursday.
The story broke on Thursday afternoon with the Spanish press reporting that after a heated discussion 24 hours earlier at Real Madrid's Valdebebas training ground, the two came to blows after tensions reappeared.
Such was the magnitude of the incident that Real Madrid was forced to issue a communique late on Thursday night, which reads "Real Madrid C. F. announces that, following the incidents that occurred this morning during the first team's training session, it has decided to open disciplinary proceedings against our players Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni."
"The club will provide updates on the resolutions of both proceedings once the corresponding internal procedures have been completed," concludes the message.
Real Madrid also published a medical report on Valverde, which states that "after the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a cranioencephalic trauma," adding the midfielder, who is one of the club's squad captains will "need to rest for 10 to 14 days, as indicated by medical protocols for this diagnosis."
Valverde also stated on Instagram, insisting there had been no fight.
"At no point did my team-mate hit me, and I didn't hit him either," he insisted.
"I feel that my anger about the situation, my frustration at seeing some of us struggling to get through the end of the season on our last legs, giving it our all, pushed me to the point of arguing with a teammate."
"The result is a build-up of things that culminate in a senseless fight, damaging my image and leaving room for doubt - for people to fabricate stories, slander me, and sensationalise an incident," posted Valverde, although his message doesn't exactly explain how he ended up with stitches and 'cranioencephalic trauma'.
One possible cause for the disagreement between Tchouameni and Valverde is that the Frenchman was a supporter of former coach Xabi Alonso, while Valverde was seen as opposed to the methods of the man who was sacked in January.
The incident highlights what the Spanish press are increasingly pointing out as a bad atmosphere in the Real Madrid dressing room and comes just days after left back Alvaro Carreras admitted another "incident" with a team-mate (widely reported to be Antonio Rudiger).
Thursday's incident was also used by some to again question Kylian Mbappe's attitude, as the striker was filmed laughing and smiling as he left the training ground on Friday when events perhaps called for a more serious attitude to reflect the problems at the club.
Meanwhile, the squad has two days to prepare for its visit to the Camp Nou where FC Barcelona will assure this season's La Liga title with a draw. ■
