Following the revelation of the second altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni, further details have emerged regarding the sequence of events. And the Uruguayan captain clearly did everything he could to provoke his French teammate.
That is the sad news of this afternoon. As if having to deal with some rather unwelcome news weren’t enough, Real Madrid have seen the conflict between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni escalate. Yesterday, the two men had a major altercation before being pulled apart. On Thursday, they were at it again, and the latest reports from Madrid indicate that Valverde suffered a nasty head injury requiring stitches at hospital. RMC Sport even reported that the Uruguayan lost consciousness.
Since then, AS has provided further details to explain how the two players came to this. The Madrid-based daily confirms that Valverde refused to shake Tchouameni’s hand, which made for a tense start to training. The Merengue number 8 did not stop there, as he kept the Frenchman on his toes. In short, before taking to the training pitch, Valverde accused the former Bordeaux player of leaking details of their altercation the previous day to the media, a claim Tchouameni denied. The French midfielder even insisted that he had not been in contact with the press.
Valverde pushed Tchouameni to…
An explanation that clearly failed to convince Valverde, who continued to press Tchouameni on the Valdebebas training ground. “Whilst the team was training, Valverde kept pressing Tchouameni, asking him who had leaked the information. And during this time, as is repeatedly emphasised at Valdebebas, Arbeloa did not intervene,” writes AS. Some will no doubt be surprised by the Real Madrid coach’s lack of reaction. Especially as the two players continued to hurl insults at each other in front of their uncomfortable teammates. At the end of training, Tchouameni reportedly tried to speak to his captain in an attempt to defuse the tension. But Valverde clearly fancied a fight. It was a mistake on his part.
“Once they reached the changing rooms, Valverde carried on, and on, and on. Sources close to the situation describe him as ‘relentless’. Tchouameni then put a stop to it and spoke to him, apparently, in a calm manner. He asked him to stop, saying that the hostile atmosphere that prevailed had to be put to an end once and for all. But Valverde did not stop. Far from it. Some players stepped in to act as mediators, pleading for an immediate halt to the accusations. To no avail. And that was when Tchouameni had had enough. AS was able to confirm that he then landed a violent punch on Valverde. A blow that struck him squarely on the head and sent him crashing to the ground. It was at that moment that he hit his head and suffered a laceration. “An injury that was not caused directly by Tchouameni’s blow, but by the consequences of his fall,” the newspaper concludes. It was at this point that Valverde reportedly lost consciousness before being taken to hospital.
OM, Roberto De Zerbi, the transfer window: former flop Ismaël Koné spills the beans
A few months after leaving Olympique de Marseille, Ismaël Koné is still having a blast at Sassuolo. It’s a club he could leave very soon, as he’s already in high demand.
This new season for Marseille has been a rollercoaster. From the clash between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe to the numerous setbacks suffered by the squad led by Habib Beye, not to mention the departures of Roberto De Zerbi and Pablo Longoria, Medhi Benatia’s false start and much more, Olympique de Marseille have been through the mill in 2025-26. And it’s not over yet. Some players must be telling themselves they certainly did well to jump ship during the last transfer window. That wasn’t necessarily Adrien Rabiot’s initial intention. But after his dressing room brawl in Rennes, the Duke has bounced back perfectly at AC Milan, where he is considered indispensable. His opponent in the ring, Jonathan Rowe, can say the same. He’s having a blast in Bologna, and is already being courted by several teams. Italy is also crazy about Ismaël Koné.
A difficult spell at Marseille
A player who has faced some difficulties in Marseille. Having joined during the 2024 summer transfer window, the former Watford player hadn’t really had many opportunities to prove himself. He made nine appearances in all competitions before being loaned out to Stade Rennais. Once the season was over, he was loaned to Sassuolo for a fee of €2.5 million, with a mandatory buy-out clause (should the club avoid relegation) of €10 million and a percentage of any future transfer fee going to Marseille. In February, the Italian side exercised their buy-out option and completed his permanent move for €13 million. It must be said that Sassuolo were keen to secure the 23-year-old Canadian as quickly as possible, following a fine season in Serie A where he has already established himself as a key player after 33 appearances in all competitions (32 starts, 6 goals). Indeed, numerous clubs are already knocking on the door of the player, who is under contract until 2030.
Among them is AC Milan. A few days ago, La Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that the Rossoneri are counting on selling Youssouf Fofana this summer in order to sign the former Marseille player. A happy footballer and a happy man, as he admitted on Thursday during a lengthy interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. He began by explaining what he knew about Sassuolo before signing for them. “I knew Berardi. At Euro 2021, he was in top form. While looking up his team, I discovered Sassuolo. From then on, I always followed their results, even without knowing which division they were in. But believe me, outside Italy, Sassuolo is synonymous with Berardi. I’ve found a club here that has supported me in every way. I had just one thing in mind: to enjoy myself and play well. And the season has even exceeded my expectations.” Beyond his impact in midfield and on the game, he’s racked up the goals. Six. Something he’d never done before.
Koné speaks his mind on RDZ and Marseille
“That’s true. At Sassuolo, I realised I needed to change my approach to the game, even off the pitch. I train with the team, then I go home where a fitness coach is waiting for me. I work with him every day in a room in my house that’s been turned into a gym. It’s these little details that make all the difference. Compared to before, I pay attention to my diet and my sleep. I do everything I can to be a better player. The goals are one of the results of that.” Something to delight his manager Fabio Grosso. “We have an excellent relationship. It’s a personal relationship, not just a technical one. I find it easy to communicate with him. Grosso understands where I want to go, where I need to improve. As well as being an excellent manager, he’s a wonderful person. When you work with people like him, everything is easier.”
Before him, Koné played under another Italian manager: Roberto De Zerbi. “We’re both football fanatics, but with different approaches. He’s incredibly passionate. At the time, I was going through a difficult period and I probably wasn’t able to give him what he wanted straight away. I had a brilliant time at Marseille. It was a wonderful experience. I remember the talent of my teammates and the warmth of the fans. I’ll never be grateful enough for what I experienced there, even if things didn’t go as I’d hoped. I’d never say a bad word about Roberto. Perhaps he could have been more patient with me, and I could have avoided reacting. These things happen. It was an argument like so many others. He wants to touch the ball once or twice in midfield, but I need a bit of freedom. I want to be involved in the game. He knew that, but on that day, he got angry.”
A move to a big club this summer?
He then spoke about the release of the video of that discussion. “It was Marseille’s decision. I didn’t know they’d include it in the documentary celebrating this very special season, the one marking our return to the Champions League. That episode hasn’t changed me. I know where I come from. I was sorry that it might have an impact on those around me. And there’s something nobody knows (…) Two weeks ago, I went to London with two teammates. I met Roberto there, who gave me a big hug. We chatted about this and that, as if nothing had happened. Sometimes, social media and the press blow things out of proportion.” The Canadian isn’t necessarily one to hold a grudge, as he calmly looks ahead to a summer of 2026 that is likely to be eventful. As for his future, he admitted he doesn’t know much more yet.
“Honestly, I don’t know. We’ll see, but I’m focusing on what I have to do. I’m happy to be at Sassuolo and to have the club’s trust. And then there’s the World Cup.” A tournament he will be taking part in for the second time. “I’m very surprised that Italy aren’t there, because your national team is very talented. I’m happy. I played in the World Cup in Qatar and have about twenty matches under my belt. I now have a better understanding of the event. Three months ago, I didn’t realise the scale of what we’re going to experience and organise. The last time I was in Canada, I felt the general enthusiasm. I can’t wait for it to start, because the team has improved, and so have I. I know how much I’ve improved over the last four years, and I thank God for giving me this opportunity again.” Life after OM is going rather well for Koné.
