Valverde's forehead scar reignites Tchouaméni row at Real Madrid

A video filmed at Federico Valverde’s barber shop, made public on June 4, 2026, shows a clear scar at the lower right corner of his forehead, reigniting controversy over his altercation with Aurélien Tchouaméni that occurred in early May at Real Madrid’s training centre. Spanish media outlet Madrid Sports confirmed the authenticity of the video after ruling out any artificial intelligence manipulation.

The initial incident had caused a stir: according to reports at the time, the two midfielders had come to blows twice in less than twenty-four hours during a training session. Valverde was subsequently forced to withdraw from several matches due to a head trauma. Real Madrid and the two players each received a fine of 500,000 euros.

Questioned in a press conference with the France national team, Tchouaméni acknowledged that “something happened,” while denouncing excessive media coverage linked to the club’s prominence. The French player maintained that no blows were exchanged. “I read that there had been a fight and that I had hit him… which was not the case. I won’t give more details,” he said.

The visible scar in the footage calls this version into question. While its exact origin remains impossible to establish formally from the video alone, its presence on Valverde’s forehead, precisely where a head trauma had been diagnosed, fuels fresh questions about what actually happened. The affair, which seemed to have faded with the end of Real Madrid’s season, could see new developments.