Carvajal says Real Madrid dressing-room fights were ‘nothing unusual’

Former Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has played down the reported confrontation between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, saying players at the club had fought physically several times without lasting consequences.

Speaking to journalist Manu Carreno on the El Larguero programme on Cadena SER, Carvajal said such incidents were a normal part of the pressures surrounding professional football.

“No, it was not important at all,” said the defender, who spent 13 years with Real Madrid’s first team before leaving the club.

“I have been at Real Madrid for many years and the players have fought with their hands several times, but there were no consequences.”

The incident involving the two midfielders attracted widespread attention after a heated verbal exchange in the dressing room reportedly escalated into a physical altercation. It was claimed that Valverde suffered a head wound which required stitches.

The episode became a major talking point during a difficult season for Real Madrid, with the team ending the campaign without silverware. However, Carvajal believes the altercation appeared more significant because details of it became public, rather than because it reflected a permanent division within the squad.

Carvajal criticises leak

Carvajal said the aspect that genuinely angered him was not the confrontation itself, but how quickly information about it reached the media.

“The strange thing about this case was that it was leaked,” he said. “It was published in the press only half an hour later. I believe the dressing room must remain private… and that really bothers me.”

His comments underline the importance of confidentiality within a highly competitive club such as Real Madrid, where incidents behind closed doors can quickly become the focus of intense media attention.

Carvajal also described his time as captain during the previous season as one of the most demanding periods of his career. He had to manage a squad facing pressure from the media, the absence of trophies and whispers about tensions within the team.

“I had to be captain in my second year without winning any titles,” he said. “Managing the dressing room and dealing with the whispers is not easy.”

The former Real Madrid captain added that his approach to leadership had always been based on humility. He said he had never expected special treatment because of his career or his position as captain.

Carvajal has since left Real Madrid after 13 years with the first team and begun a new professional challenge with Getafe.