Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa has launched a passionate defence of Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni after their dressing-room altercation left the Uruguayan with a head injury requiring hospital treatment. In an extraordinary press conference, Arbeloa insisted both players should be given the opportunity to 'keep fighting for the badge' and slammed what he called 'lies' about their professionalism.
The incident, which occurred two days before the clásico against Barcelona, resulted in Valverde suffering craniofacial trauma after a second bust-up in as many days. The club imposed a record fine of €500,000 on each player. Valverde has been told to stay at home to recover, but Tchouaméni will be in the squad for the crucial match at Camp Nou, where a defeat could hand Barcelona the league title.
'I am very proud of the decisiveness, transparency and speed with which the club has acted,' Arbeloa said. 'The players have expressed their regret, admitted their error, and accepted the consequences. They have said sorry to the fans, the club, and the dressing room, and that is enough for me. They do not deserve to be publicly burnt at the stake.'
Arbeloa drew comparisons with club legend Juanito, who famously stamped on Lothar Matthaus's head, to argue that even great players make mistakes. 'If there is a player that represents Real Madrid, it’s Juanito. Did Juanito never make mistakes? Fede and Aurélien are two players who represent very well what Real Madrid is, who deserve a chance to turn the page, to keep fighting for this badge.'
The coach also recalled his own experience as a teammate of Craig Bellamy, who attacked John Arne Riise with a golf club at Liverpool in 2007, to underscore that such incidents have happened before. 'The most serious thing is that what happens in the Madrid dressing room should stay there. For things to be filtered out is a betrayal of Real Madrid.'
Arbeloa took full responsibility for the team, saying: 'I am responsible for what happens at Real Madrid. If you want to have someone to blame, here I am.' He described the dressing room as 'healthy' despite the turmoil and urged unity ahead of the Barcelona match. 'It is not easy to assimilate two years without winning a title, but I see a healthy dressing room. Nothing in these four months makes me say I am unhappy.'
The fight has raised questions about team morale after a trophyless spell, but Arbeloa dismissed criticism of his players' commitment. 'It is false that my players are not professional. It is false that they have shown a lack of respect towards me. It is false that their lifestyle is not what it should be.' He added, 'Our fans can rest assured when it comes to the dressing room.'
With Valverde out, Tchouaméni's inclusion offers a chance to channel frustration into performance. 'Sometimes frustration and anger can bring about situations we don’t want, but we can use that energy to play a great game tomorrow,' Arbeloa said. The clásico now carries even greater weight, as Barcelona can clinch the title with a win.
Based on reporting from Football | The Guardian.
