Real Madrid C.F. v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1
Real Madrid C.F. v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1
Federico Valverde suffered a left ankle injury during the Madrid derby on September 20 following a heavy challenge from South Korean star Lee Kang-in. Real Madrid eventually diagnosed the Uruguayan with a grade-three sprain, an issue that typically rules players out of action for up to 12 weeks.
Despite being forced to withdraw from Uruguay's squad during the international break, the midfielder was back in full training at Valdebebas just 17 days after the initial diagnosis. Manager Jose Mourinho subsequently named him in the matchday squad to face Villarreal, a decision that infuriated Los Blancos' cross-city rivals.
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Atletico's sarcastic social media swipe
Reacting to the news of Valverde's availability against Villarreal, Atletico took to their official X account to openly question the validity of Real Madrid's initial medical report. They framed the remarkably fast recovery timeline as an impossibility.
"We’d like to congratulate Real Madrid on continuing to make history by proving that 100 per cent of the global medical community was wrong," the club posted.
They doubled down on the mockery by including a series of pointed hashtags aimed squarely at the Santiago Bernabeu medical staff. The post concluded with: "#MiraculousRecovery #MedicalReport #Grade3Sprain #TheStoryYouMade".
Derby tensions refuse to fade
This latest public spat adds further fuel to a fiery fallout from the recent derby, which Atletico won 2-1 at the Metropolitano. The original tackle by Lee angered the Real Madrid camp, who furiously demanded a straight red card on the pitch.
While the referee and VAR ignored those pleas during the game, Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) later admitted the South Korean should have been sent off. Atletico's decision to publicly doubt the severity of the injury appears to be a direct retaliation to the ongoing complaints over that refereeing error.
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Villarreal test awaits Mourinho's men
Mourinho must now decide whether to risk throwing Valverde straight back into the starting XI against Villarreal or manage his minutes from the bench. All eyes will be on the Uruguayan's movement and fitness to see if there are any lingering effects from the controversial derby challenge.