Mourinho reveals why he didn’t intervene in Tchouameni, Valverde feud
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineReal Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has revealed that he did not need to intervene in the relationship between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, despite the friction that had previously emerged between the two midfielders.
Tchouameni and Valverde were involved in two separate altercations in May, with one incident resulting in Valverde being hospitalised for a head injury.
However, the relationship between the pair has improved since the summer break, with Tchouameni signing a new contract and Valverde taking over the captaincy following Dani Carvajal’s exit.
Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Rayo Vallecano, Mourinho said the players resolved their differences themselves.
Mourinho said: “Look, I haven’t done anything.
“They’ve done everything themselves.
“The empathy within the group today, the friendship, the way they work together, the frustration when they go off because nobody wants to be substituted, but still supporting their teammates, the player who comes on in the final minute… the group is fantastic.”
The improved relationship was also evident during Madrid’s Champions League victory over Inter Milan, when Tchouameni made his first appearance of the season after returning from World Cup duty.
The Frenchman replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold late in the game and embraced Valverde after the final whistle.
Mourinho said he had been prepared to intervene if tensions remained after the players returned from their international commitments, but found there was no need to do so.
Also Read:
- Mourinho reveals why he didn’t intervene in Tchouameni, Valverde feud
- Hull City fined £30,000 over homophobic chant during FA Cup defeat
- Navy arrests four suspects, seizes illegal petroleum products in Ondo
- We governors, not Tinubu, should account for subsidy gains – Abiodun
- Court remands man for allegedly killing nephew, niece
He said: “If I knew nothing, if I walked into the dressing room without knowing anything about the situation, I’d think they were great friends.
“When they came back from the World Cup, I was obviously paying attention to see whether I needed to act as a peacekeeper, but I didn’t have to do anything.”
Mourinho also defended Vinicius Jr amid scrutiny over the Brazilian forward’s form.
Vinicius ended a summer of speculation over his future by signing a new long-term deal through 2032 last month, but has scored just once in five appearances across all competitions this season.
Despite his relatively slow start, Mourinho backed the forward to rediscover the form that has previously seen him decide matches on his own.
Mourinho said: “The best Vinicius is coming soon.
“The one from last year, when the Bernabeu was terrified against Benfica and he ended up winning the tie.
“The Vinicius who won matches single-handedly hasn’t arrived yet. But he will.”
He added: “In an era of data and statistics, he’s very close to his top speed.
“He’s broken his records for high-intensity sprints, records for ball recoveries, for ball recoveries in the final third… He’s coming.”
[wpadcenter_ad id='745970' align='none']