Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa on Friday insisted the club's dressing room remains united and professional, dismissing suggestions of deep-rooted tension following a physical altercation between Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni earlier this week. The incident, which left Valverde requiring stitches and diagnosed with cranioencephalic trauma, has overshadowed preparations for Sunday's high-stakes El Clasico visit to FC Barcelona.

The incident and fallout

The fight between Tchouameni and Valverde resulted in both players receiving €500,000 fines. Valverde is expected to miss the next two weeks with his injury, creating a significant absence in Real Madrid's midfield for the crucial Barcelona clash. The incident came amid reports of another disciplinary matter involving defender Alvaro Carreras and Antonio Rudiger, as well as criticism over Kylian Mbappe's trip to Italy while managing a hamstring injury.

Arbeloa's defence of the squad

Arbeloa stated: "It's a healthy dressing room. Not easy to accept two seasons without a trophy, and to be a Real Madrid player you have to have a lot of ambition." He acknowledged that improvements were necessary but rejected the notion that internal conflict was spiralling. "Of course, we have to do things better; change, reflect... but I see a healthy dressing room," he said.

On his role and responsibility

When pressed on whether he bore responsibility for the escalation, Arbeloa clarified the limits of his authority. "I don't have my office inside the Real Madrid dressing room. I wish I could be responsible for everything that happens and control everything," he remarked. He framed the incident as a learning moment: "This should serve as an example for everyone. We need to turn the page, learn from it, and not forget that tomorrow there's a Barcelona-Real Madrid match."

Backing the players

Arbeloa expressed confidence in both players, stating he was "very proud of the club's decisiveness, speed, and transparency" in handling the matter. He noted that Valverde and Tchouameni had "acknowledged their mistake, expressed their regret, and apologized." Crucially, he confirmed that Tchouameni would feature in the squad for Sunday's encounter. "I'm not going to publicly crucify them because they don't deserve it. They've shown me what it means to be a Real Madrid player," Arbeloa said, emphasizing his support for both midfielders moving forward.

The Barcelona challenge ahead

The El Clasico takes on added significance as Barcelona can clinch the La Liga title with a draw. Real Madrid's injury woes, compounded by Valverde's absence, place the visitors at a disadvantage as they seek to derail their rivals' title celebrations.