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Physical clashes between Rudiger and Carreras and between Tchouaméni and Valverde have already led to the call for an unprecedented meeting and disciplinary proceedings. An online petition demanding Mbappé’s departure also has more than 34 million signatures.
After not winning any trophies last season and running a great risk of repeating that scenario this year, the non-Real Madrid atmosphere you have to cut it with a knife.
Even before Xabi Alonso’s departure there were reports of a rotten peace in the clubwith reports indicating that the players did not like the coach’s harsher training methods. In the end, the lack of support from the board for the coach to discipline the players dictated his departure from the club.
But the tension in Madrid has reached another level since its elimination from the Champions League. According to several international press reports, the atmosphere is so bad that There are players who don’t talk to the coach and there have even been physical confrontations — all this just days before the decisive El Clasico that could give Barcelona the championship.
Chapada from Rudiger to Carreras
The first incident occurred in April, with Antonio Rudiger to being at the center of a heated argument with another first-team player in the dressing room during training. According to , the confrontation was allegedly instigated by Rudiger, with the central defender later apologizing and inviting his colleagues to lunch.
Although the initial news did not reveal who the other player involved was, the Spanish press provided details in recent days that suggest that the conflict was with Alvaro Carreras and that the German he may have even gotten a slap to the former Benfica player. The newspapers also mentioned that Carreras’ attitude was the reason why coach Álvaro Arbeloa decided to remove him from the starting lineup in the last few games.
In a post on social media, the full-back denied the “insinuations and comments” about his behavior and minimized the clash with Rudiger. “My commitment to this club and the coaches I have had has been unwavering since day one and will continue to be. In relation to the incident with a colleague, it is a one-off subject of no relevance which has already been resolved”, he wrote.
Valverde in hospital after fight with Tchouaméni
In addition to Carreras and Rudiger, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde also had a heated discussion in training this Wednesday and they almost attacked each other. According to the Spanish daily, the incident began with a play in training.
“The two players looked at each other, pushed each other and got into a heated argument that continued in the locker room. The differences between the players are evident, and some barely speak to each other”, reports the newspaper. “Living with Álvaro Arbeloa is not easy either, in a context in which pressure and exhaustion have finally reached their limit and at least six players refuse to speak to him.”
This Thursday, there was a new confrontation between Tchouaméni and Valverde which is being described as “very serious” and which would have led to the opening of disciplinary proceedings against both players. According to , the tension was reignited when the Uruguayan midfielder refused to greet Tchouaméni. The conflict escalated to the point where Valverde needs to be taken to hospital.
“The magnitude of what happened led to an emergency meeting being called in the locker room minutes after the altercation. No player left the training center during this unprecedented crisis meeting. The objective is to put an end to all these problems and try to contain the escalation of tension that is causing serious concern at the highest levels of the club”, reports the Spanish newspaper.
Petition demands Mbappé’s departure
Mbappé has also been at the center of controversy. According to The Athletic, the attacker would also have had a disagreement with a member of the technical team who was playing the role of assistant referee during a training session. When the coach called Mbappé offside, the French player reportedly got angry and cursed the coach.
In addition to this incident, Mbappé is also being criticized for having made a trip to Italy with girlfriend while he was recovering from an injury, at a time when the team is experiencing a series of poor results.
Asked at a press conference whether the player’s decision shows a lack of professionalism, Arbeloa downplayed: “In their free time, each player does what they think is best, and I don’t get involved in that“However, an internal source interviewed by The Athletic said that the coach was not happy with the club’s response to what happened.
The French star is also being one of the main targets of fans’ anger, with one calling for his departure from Real Madrid, now totaling more than 34 million signatures.
Fans blame Mbappé’s arrival for the end of harmony in the squad. Despite having good individual numbers, critics believe that Mbappé negatively affects collective performance of the team, as he presses less and tends to occupy the same spaces as Vinicíus Júnior.
The fact that PSG won its first Champions League shortly after Mbappé’s departure also does not go unnoticed by many, who consider that Mbappé was Parisians’ problem and which is now having the same effect in Madrid and causing a trophy drought.
In response to the petition, a source close to Mbappé said that criticism of the team’s top scorer was exaggerated.
