Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa called the dressing room leaks a betrayal of the club’s badge after an ugly brawl inside the Real Madrid camp ahead of the final El Clasico of the season.
Speaking ahead of the match against FC Barcelona, Arbeloa said that while the players involved had apologised for the incident, he was deeply disappointed that details from inside the dressing room had made their way into the public domain.
“For things that happen in the dressing room to be leaked seems to me a betrayal and an act of disloyalty to this badge,” he said.
Real Madrid players Aurelian Tchouameni and Federico Valverde were involved in a heated altercation ahead of the clash against Barcelona. The fight reportedly left Valverde with a cut on his head.
Arbeloa apologised for the incident and credited the club for acting swiftly and maintaining transparency.
“I want to say two things. First, I am very proud of the decisiveness, speed and transparency with which the club has acted,” Marca quoted the head coach as saying.
“And on the other hand, that the players have acknowledged their mistake, expressing their regret and asking for forgiveness. For me, that is enough. What I am not going to do is burn them at a public stake, because they do not deserve it.”
REAL MADRID PUT HEFTY FINE ON BRAWLERS
Tchouameni and Valverde were reportedly fined 500,000 euros each for unruly behaviour, amounting to nearly Rs 5.5 crore. The two players were also made to issue a public apology to the squad and supporters.
The Real Madrid manager also took responsibility for the team’s underwhelming season, suggesting that frustration inside the squad may have contributed to tempers boiling over.
“I am the first person responsible for the fact that we surely have not been up to standard this season. It is clear that frustration and anger can lead you into situations you do not want. Now we have to look at the match. That is where we must put the focus now. If you want to blame someone, here I am,” he said.
The former defender attempted to place the incident in context, insisting that dressing room clashes are not uncommon in elite football.
“I had a teammate who picked up a golf club and hit another with it. What happens in the Real Madrid dressing room should stay in the Real Madrid dressing room and that is what hurts me the most,” Arbeloa said.
“These are situations that have always happened but I am not justifying it, far from it. It was an incident and we were unlucky that Fede ended up with a gash, it has more to do with the bad luck of what really happened. They have apologised and from there on we have to think about the match.”
Real Madrid play Barcelona on May 11 at 12:30 am IST. A win for Barcelona would seal the LaLiga title this season.
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