The tension is palpable at Real Madrid. Whilst Álvaro Carreras confirmed on Wednesday that he had had a run-in with Antonio Rüdiger in training, *Marca* reveals that Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni have also had a falling out.
The atmosphere is becoming increasingly stifling at Real Madrid. As the club endures a nightmare end to the season on the pitch, tensions now appear to be deeply infecting the Madrid dressing room.
Things got heated between Tchouaméni and Valverde
According to Marca, a new incident broke out on Wednesday during training between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde. It all reportedly started with a simple moment of play and a foul, before the situation escalated. The Spanish daily reports a particularly tense exchange, “one of the most heated ever seen at Valdebebas”, between the two midfielders, who came close to coming to blows in front of their teammates. Shoving, physical confrontation and a heated verbal altercation: the dispute is said to have even continued into the changing rooms.
This episode is merely the latest in a string of setbacks for the Merengue club. Just a few days earlier, the Spanish press had already reported another incident involving Antonio Rüdiger and Alvaro Carreras during a training session. “It was a one-off, trivial matter that has already been resolved,” the Portuguese full-back stated on social media on Wednesday. But it is yet another incident that highlights a dressing room under immense strain, undermined by frustration and tension.
A divided dressing room
Real Madrid are on the verge of ending the season trophy-less and could even see FC Barcelona crowned La Liga champions during this weekend’s Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu. A scenario that is hard to accept at a club accustomed to excellence.
Internally, several rifts are also said to have emerged. Marca claims that some players are barely speaking to one another, whilst at least six members of the squad are reportedly refusing to speak to Álvaro Arbeloa. Dani Ceballos is said to be among the players at odds with the manager, whilst Kylian Mbappé is reportedly more isolated following his recent trip to Sardinia. Amidst disappointing results, bruised egos and personal tensions, the Real Madrid dressing room seems more fragile than ever.
Real: Mourinho sets his conditions
Thirteen years after his departure, José Mourinho could well return to Real Madrid. But the Portuguese manager has no intention of returning in a token role: in order to agree to take charge of a team in sporting and physical crisis, the Special One is demanding very specific guarantees.
Real Madrid are going through an unusual period. Second in La Liga, some way behind FC Barcelona, knocked out of the Champions League and beaten in the Copa del Rey, the Spanish capital club are heading for a second season without a major trophy. An anomaly by the standards of the Bernabéu, where Florentino Pérez has decided to personally take charge of the search for a new manager.
And according to several Spanish media outlets, the Madrid president has a clear plan in mind: to bring José Mourinho back. A spectacular return, but one that could also profoundly upset the club’s balance.
The boss’s return?
Mourinho does not simply want to return to the Bernabéu dugout. According to reports in the Spanish press, the Portuguese manager is demanding a two-year contract, the ability to bring in his own technical and fitness staff, but above all, almost total control over the dressing room and sporting decisions. This is far from a trivial matter at a club where Pérez has historically retained control over the project’s major strategic directions.
These demands can also be explained by Real Madrid’s current situation. Over the last two seasons, the club has racked up nearly 120 injuries, a staggering figure for a club of this calibre. Mourinho is reportedly particularly concerned about the players’ physical conditioning and would like to overhaul the entire fitness programme at Real Madrid. Behind this determination lies a conviction: for him, Real’s problem is not confined to the touchline. The entire sporting structure needs to be rethought.
A defining spell
The return of the Special One would inevitably mark a radical shift following several years of a more diplomatic approach. Mourinho remains associated with a culture of confrontation, intensity and absolute control. His first spell between 2010 and 2013 left a deep mark on the club, as much for the results as for the constant tensions surrounding the dressing room and the media. This time, the 63-year-old tactician does not want to relive that scenario without clear protection from the board.
The paradox is that Real Madrid seem to be looking for precisely this type of profile today. But the risk is immense. Between the egos in the dressing room, the president’s influence and the Portuguese manager’s demands, the slightest disagreement could quickly become explosive. If Madrid accepts all his conditions, it will not simply be the return of a manager. It will be an admission that, at the Bernabéu, the rebuilding process now depends on a man to whom the keys must be handed.
