Real Madrid midfielder breaks silence after controversial brawl with teammate — “If I face him in World Cup…” | OneFootball

The brawl between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde was one of the most shocking moments of Real Madrid’s turbulent season, which saw the club struggle to win a single major trophy.

Valverde was hospitalised with a head injury, both players were handed hefty fines, and the incident became the defining symbol of a dressing room that had completely fractured under the weight of a second consecutive trophyless campaign.

Now, Tchouameni has spoken publicly about what happened.

Tchouameni sets the record straight

Tchouameni says no bad blood with Valverde. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Speaking at a press conference ahead of France’s World Cup preparations, the midfielder addressed the incident directly.

He notably pushed back against some of the more sensational reporting that had surrounded the episode.

“Obviously, things happened; you could see and hear it in the media. It was blown out of proportion because it was in the news, and when you play for Real Madrid, that creates a huge reaction,” he said (h/t Diario SPORT).

“A lot of nonsense was said in the press. I read that there was a fight and that he had punched me, which wasn’t the case. I won’t go into any more details,” he added.

No bad blood with Valverde

Tchouameni is looking forward to facing Uruguay in the World Cup. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Despite the severity of the incident and the weeks the two spent apart on the pitch, Tchouameni insisted there is no lasting animosity between himself and the Uruguayan.

“The most important thing is that the club was aware of what happened. There are many things that happen in the locker room that don’t make it into the press. Life goes on. Fede and I have a common goal: to win titles with Real Madrid. There’s no problem.”

With France and Uruguay both at the World Cup, a potential meeting on the pitch remains a possibility.

“And if I face him in the World Cup, we’ll be eager to win with the French national team. On a personal level, there are no problems with Valverde right now,” he concluded.