Real Madrid are in a state of total chaos heading into Sunday's El Clasico. Three training ground incidents and a fan revolt of historic proportions have rocked the club this week. The dressing room at Valdebebas is, in the words of the Spanish press, "a powder keg."
RUDIGER SLAPS CARRERAS
The first incident was reported by Onda Cero earlier this week. Antonio Rudiger physically slapped Alvaro Carreras during a training session — Spanish media using the terms "bofeton" and "tortazo" to describe the force of the blow. The incident took place between the Alaves win and the Betis draw at a moment of "high tension." Rudiger was furious at Carreras's attitude and had to be separated from the 23-year-old left-back by teammates. The Athletic reported Rudiger later apologised and took his teammates to lunch on Friday to make amends. Carreras confirmed it on Instagram: "Regarding the incident with a teammate, it was a one-off, unimportant matter that has already been sorted out." Carreras has not played since the incident and is now third-choice left-back despite arriving from Benfica for 50 million euros. Rudiger's contract expires this summer and will not be renewed.
VALVERDE AND TCHOUAMENI BRAWL — MARCA EXCLUSIVE
The second incident broke today — and this one involves two of Madrid's most senior players. Marca reported exclusively that Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni clashed violently in training at Valdebebas on Wednesday. According to the report, the incident started from a foul during a training session drill. The two players confronted each other, pushed each other and had a heated argument that continued into the dressing room — one of the most intense altercations seen at the club in years. Libertad Digital, reporting on the Marca exclusive, described the Madrid dressing room as "a genuine powder keg" and noted that Tchouameni is one of the few players in the squad who counts himself as a friend of Mbappe. Valverde, Madrid's captain this season, and Tchouameni are both expected to start against Barcelona on Sunday.
MBAPPE — 14 MILLION FANS WANT HIM OUT, COACHING STAFF CONFRONTATION
The Mbappe situation has reached extraordinary levels. The 27-year-old was photographed on a yacht in Sardinia with his girlfriend Ester Exposito while recovering from a hamstring injury — just days before El Clasico. A petition demanding Madrid sell him this summer has now gathered over 14 million signatures, the most signed anti-player petition in football history. Reports from multiple outlets also claim Mbappe was involved in a heated confrontation with a member of Arbeloa's coaching staff during training — allegedly insulting the staff member after being flagged offside. He also liked and quickly unliked a post linking Jose Mourinho to the Real Madrid manager position. Arbeloa, asked about it, said drily: "I don't care if Mbappe liked Mourinho, Julia Roberts, or anyone else." Mbappe returned to training on May 5 and is a doubt for Sunday. His representatives said his Sardinia trip was "strictly supervised by the club."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
This is the same club that once projected an image of galactic invincibility. Now, with three training ground confrontations in two weeks, 14 million fans calling for their star player to be sold, and a trophyless season all but confirmed, Real Madrid head into El Clasico in a state few could have imagined at the start of the campaign. Barcelona need only a draw on Sunday to be crowned La Liga champions at Camp Nou. Arbeloa said ahead of the week: "There are difficult situations to control that are happening to us often, but we have to fight." He was not wrong.
