Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid
Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Peace has returned to the Real Madrid dressing room. One of the biggest conflicts within the squad, and arguably the most serious of all, now appears to be a thing of the past.
Ineed, as reported by MARCA, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde have put their differences behind them, providing a clear sign of that during the match against Elche.
The Frenchman and the Uruguayan were involved in one of the most serious arguments in the Real Madrid dressing room last season.
From a heated argument to reconciliation
The incident took place in May during a training session. A disagreement on the pitch escalated and eventually continued inside the dressing room, with Valverde subsequently requiring hospital treatment after suffering a head injury in the confrontation.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde of Real Madrid
Burying the hatchet. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
The episode highlighted the turmoil within a Real Madrid squad that was already struggling, with then-manager Alvaro Arbeloa attempting to calm a situation that had spiralled out of control.
The arrival of Jose Mourinho in the dugout appears to have brought a change in atmosphere, however, and the relationship between Tchouaméni and Valverde now seems to have been repaired.
Their behaviour after the victory over Elche, which was the first instance of the pair starting together since the incident in May, offered perhaps the clearest evidence yet.
At the final whistle, Tchouameni and Valverde were seen high-fiving each other before embracing, putting their previous differences firmly behind them.
No había visto entre Tchouaméni y Fede Valverde tras acabar el partido en Elchepic.twitter.com/EpjywrKbaR
— Madrid Sports (@MadridSports_) September 17, 2026
The gesture came after an important victory for Real Madrid, who secured the points they needed to remain in touch with Barcelona at the top of the table.
Whatever happened between the two midfielders last season now appears to have been left in the past, with their post-match exchange providing a visible sign of a calmer atmosphere inside Mourinho’s dressing room.
One of the biggest objective for Mourinho, who returned to the club for his second stint in the summer, was to unite the locker room, especially given the reports of disharmony and discontent during the last season.
While there is still work to be done, early signs indicate that the Portuguese tactician has managed to set some things right and install order, discipline, and unity in the dressing room.
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United
JJ Gabriel is playing at higher age level teams for some time now. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
JJ Gabriel of Manchester United
Gabriel is said to be keen on joining Real Madrid. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)