Real Madrid: I wasn’t There – Mbappe Refuses To Confirm Valverde, Tchouameni Fight

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has said he wasn’t present when the reported altercation between teammates Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde took place, and doesn’t know exactly what happened.

The incident occurred at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground in early May 2026, after tensions that had been building between the two midfielders. According to reports, the pair had a heated exchange during Wednesday’s training session, and the situation escalated the next day when Valverde refused Tchouameni’s handshake before training.

The confrontation turned physical in the dressing room. Valverde suffered a head injury after hitting a table during the scuffle and had to be taken to hospital for stitches. Real Madrid later confirmed he had sustained head trauma and would be out for 10 to 14 days.

Both players appeared before a club investigator, apologized to each other, the squad, and the fans, and accepted responsibility. Real Madrid fined each player €500,000 and closed the internal disciplinary process. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa said the players had expressed regret and asked for forgiveness, adding that he wouldn’t “put them in the pillory”.

Speaking after Madrid’s 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday, Mbappe was asked about the fight. He made clear he couldn’t confirm anything because he wasn’t there. “I wasn’t there, I can’t confirm,” he said. “I left without knowing what happened. I had the same information as you,” he added.

The episode has added to scrutiny around Real Madrid’s dressing room atmosphere during a season where the club is on course for a second straight year without a major trophy. President Florentino Perez acknowledged that clashes happen most years but criticized leaks to the media, calling them worse than the fight itself.