The disagreement between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni has dominated headlines this week and resulted in a huge fine for the pair. However, Arbeola said it was nothing compared to clash from his Liverpool playing days
16:19, 10 May 2026
Alvaro Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa has compared Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni's fall-out at Real Madrid to that of Craig Bellamy and Joh Arne Riise during his time at Liverpool
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa referenced the infamous example of the fall-out between Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise in response to the media circus that has surrounded Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni’s argument this week.
The Real stars were involved in a training-ground fracas that resulted in Valverde requiring hospital treatment. The incident, which has been played out in public and drawn accusations of dressing-room leaks, saw the players earn €500,000 ($590K/£433K) fines from the clubs.
Valverde has denied the players came to blows, with the Uruguayan claiming he “accidentally hit a table”. He suffered a concussion as a result, which will keep him out of Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona.
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Speaking ahead of the game, Arbeola compared the spat to that of Bellamy and Riise from his playing days at Liverpool. The pair clashed during a 2007 warm-weather training camp.
The alcohol-fueled brawl came after Bellamy pushed Riise to take part in a karaoke session, and ended with the Welshman swinging a golf club at the legs of his team-mates.
“I had a team-mate who picked up a golf club and hit another player,” Arbeola reflected before this weekend’s La Liga clash.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Girona FC.
Tchouameni and Valverde clashed at Real's training ground this week(Image: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
“They're situations that shouldn't happen between team-mates, but they've always happened.
“I'm not justifying it, but I've experienced even worse situations than this. We had the really bad luck that it ended with Fede getting a cut, but that's more to do with bad luck than with what really happened. I think it's an issue we have to move on from.
“The two players have expressed regret. They've admitted their mistakes, they've accepted the consequences and they've apologised,” the former right-back added.
“That's enough for me. I won't burn my players at the stake. They don't deserve it, neither of them.
Craig Bellamy's golf swing celebration the following day did little to ease tensions
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 21: Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy celebrates with his 'Golf Swing' after scoring during the UEFA Champions league Round of 16, 1st leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Camp Nou Stadium on February 21, 2007 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Craig Bellamy(Image: Getty Images)
“Valverde and Tchouameni are two players who represent well what Real Madrid is. They deserve an opportunity to keep fighting for this club. I'm very proud of them. I won't allow all this to be taken advantage of to doubt my players' professionalism.”
The Real coach added that Tchouameni, who has been linked with a summer exit from the Bernabeu, has been declared fit for the fixture against Barcelona.
Should the Catalan club avoid defeat on Sunday, it will claim the title ahead of its arch rivals.
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Ironically, it was before a game against Barcelona that Bellamy and Riise clashed almost two decades ago. Even more remarkably, the players both scored in a 2-1 win at the Nou Camp, with Bellamy famously celebrating his goal by swinging an imaginary golf club.