Atletico Madrid reignite derby dispute over Federico Valverde’s rapid return

Atletico Madrid have reopened the dispute surrounding Federico Valverde’s injury after the Real Madrid captain was named in the squad just 17 days after the club reported a grade-three ankle sprain.

Real Madrid announced their squad for Saturday’s match against Villarreal after keeping details of Valverde’s recovery private. The Uruguay midfielder trained normally in the team’s final session and is available to manager Jose Mourinho for the first game following the international break.

Atletico responded with a sarcastic message on social media, writing: “We want to congratulate Real Madrid once again for continuing to make history by proving that 100% of the global medical community was wrong.”

The post was accompanied by the hashtags “MiraculousRecovery”, “MedicalReport”, “Grade3Sprain” and “TheHistoryYouMade”.

The latest development has revived controversy from the Madrid derby, which took place at Metropolitano on 20 September. Real Madrid lost the match 2-1, with Valverde involved in a strong challenge from Kang-in Lee during the first half.

Real Madrid had demanded that Kang-in Lee be sent off immediately for the tackle. The club also criticised the officials over a separate incident involving Cristian Romero and Jude Bellingham.

Valverde continued playing after the challenge, and concerns only emerged after the final whistle when swelling was noticed around the affected area.

Real Madrid initially issued a statement shortly after the match, describing the problem as a “strong injury to the left ankle”. Following further examinations, the club released a second update on 22 September, diagnosing a “grade-three sprain in the left ankle”.

The club did not give a fixed recovery period, saying that his return would remain “subject to ongoing assessment”.

Valverde’s inclusion in the squad after the international break has therefore renewed attention on the medical report and the incident that has continued to generate debate for three weeks after the derby.

Atletico’s message also referred to Real Madrid “continuing to make history”, repeating the club’s criticism in deliberately ironic terms and highlighting the contrast between the original diagnosis and Valverde’s swift return to availability.

The midfielder is now in contention for Real Madrid’s first fixture after the international period, while Atletico’s public response ensures that the disputed challenge and the handling of the injury remain part of the build-up to Saturday’s game.