Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni remain at the heart of a story Real Madrid would have preferred to leave behind. In May 2026, the two midfielders clashed during training, an incident that led the club to open disciplinary proceedings against them. Both players were subsequently handed financial penalties.
Since then, the tone has shifted. Tchouaméni publicly played down the affair, insisting there was no longer any personal issue between the two men and that it was time to move forward together towards a common goal: winning titles with Real Madrid.
Mourinho bets on continuity
The arrival of José Mourinho on the Madrid bench now gives this story a new dimension. The Portuguese coach regards Valverde as one of the cornerstones of his project and intends to keep him in Madrid. The Uruguayan midfielder, who turned 28 in July, remains a key cog in the collective thanks to his work rate, activity and versatility.
Tchouaméni also retains a prominent place in the club's plans. His profile as a defensive midfielder offers Mourinho a different and valuable option in the engine room. Rather than letting the past incident dictate his choices, the new manager appears to favour continuity and calm management of the dressing room.
The real test: the pitch
The real challenge now lies elsewhere: are the two players truly capable of turning the page once they step onto the pitch? For Mourinho, the answer will necessarily have to be yes. At Real Madrid, dressing room tensions can survive changes of manager — but they rarely hold up against the pressure of a team that wants to start winning again.
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