Sidibari
Even for a club like Real Madrid, where drama is nothing new, the past few days have been chaotic. A lot of problems inside the club are now coming out in public, and it is showing just how bad the atmosphere has become behind the scenes.
This week, reports came out that defender Antonio Rudiger had an argument at training with teammate Alvaro Carreras to the point of physical altercation.
Another report said forward Kylian Mbappe insulted a member of the coaching staff during a training match in April. On top of that, Mbappe is now being targeted by an online petition calling for his dismissal from the club, after he was spotted in Sardinia, vacationing with the actor Ester Expósito last weekend.
As of Friday evening, the petition has garnered 48 million signatures.
Making matters worse ahead of the El Clasico, things have become even more heated on the training ground. On Wednesday, midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were involved in an argument during training. Tchouameni was unhappy with a strong tackle from Valverde and the two argued afterwards in the dressing room. Other players stepped in to calm things down and club staff believed the issue had ended there. Things became much worse on Thursday when the two players reportedly fought inside the dressing room.
Madrid are preparing for El Clasico against FC Barcelona this Sunday. They need to win to keep their league title hopes alive. If they lose, Barcelona will become champions and Madrid will finish another season without a major trophy.
But on Thursday morning, things were still tense. Sources say Valverde greeted every teammate except Tchouameni when he arrived at training. During the session, Valverde reportedly made several hard challenges on him. Later, when players were split into teams, the coaching staff placed both players together. Valverde is said to have joked that Tchouameni was lucky not to be playing against him.
After training, the situation exploded again in the dressing room. According to reports, Tchouameni called Valverde over, Valverde insulted him, and then Tchouameni struck him. The two began struggling with each other and Valverde hit his head on a table and passed out.
There was immediate concern in the room. Valverde later regained consciousness and was taken to hospital with a club doctor. He later returned home after medical checks.
Senior club officials, including general director Jose Angel Sanchez, were furious after hearing what happened. Madrid later announced disciplinary action would be taken, although the exact punishment is still unclear.
Some people close to the dressing room blamed Valverde for provoking the situation and said he has behaved aggressively throughout the season. Others defended him, saying frustration inside the squad has been building for months.
Valverde later released a statement denying there had been a fight. He said there was only “a disagreement” and claimed he accidentally hit his head on a table. He admitted he lost control of his emotions because of the pressure and disappointment around the season.
Madrid also confirmed he suffered a head injury and will need around 10 to 14 days of rest, meaning he is expected to miss Sunday’s Clasico.
This latest incident is only one part of a much bigger problem. Over the last year, tension inside the Madrid dressing room has reportedly grown worse. Since winning the UEFA Champions League in 2024, the squad has become harder to manage and several clashes between players and staff have taken place.
Last season was the final year of coach Carlo Ancelotti, and sources close to the club said there were already personality clashes and ego problems inside the team.
Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso was brought in as coach to improve discipline and organisation, but reports say several senior players were unhappy with his methods. Vinicius Junior was one of the players who reportedly challenged him openly during the season, while Valverde was also unhappy.
Instead of punishing players, club leaders reportedly blamed Alonso for not controlling the dressing room properly. There are also concerns about the influence surrounding some of the club’s biggest stars.
Things reportedly became worse after Alvaro Arbeloa took over earlier this year. Some players are unhappy with how they are being treated, and frustration has started showing openly during matches as well.
Many people inside the club believe Madrid are now missing experienced leaders such as Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Nacho Fernandez and Lucas Vazquez, who helped keep the dressing room calm in previous years. Older players like Dani Carvajal and David Alaba have played smaller roles this season and could also leave soon.
Reports also suggest Arbeloa may not remain coach next season. Former Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is already being linked with a return.
Even if Madrid beat Barcelona this weekend, many people believe the problems inside the club will not disappear quickly. Fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium have already shown frustration towards players like Mbappe, Vinicius and Jude Bellingham during recent matches.
All signs point towards major changes this summer, with possible player sales, dressing room clear-outs and maybe even another coaching change, as Madrid try to rebuild control inside one of football’s biggest clubs.
