Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa has defended players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, saying their apologies for having scuffled were enough to settle the incident that led the club to fine both of them €500,000 ($590,000).
Apology Accepted
"My players recognized their mistake, expressed their remorse and asked for forgiveness," Arbeloa told reporters in Madrid on Saturday in his first public appearance since the fight.
"That is enough for me. What I am not going to do is burn them on a pyre in a town square, because they don't deserve that. It is time to turn the page."
Incident Details
The tussle between the two midfielders occurred during Madrid's practice on Thursday. Valverde ended up at the hospital to treat a head wound, though he said he had hit his head on a table, calling the incident "a meaningless fight."
Both players apologized to one another the next day when they met with club officials investigating the incident. They also apologized to their teammates, coaching staff and fans.
The 15-time European champion found the spat a serious enough breach of team discipline to impose substantial fines on the players.
Media Leak Criticized
Arbeloa's harshest words were reserved not for Valverde and Tchouaméni, but for whoever leaked the fight to the media. It was first reported by Spanish sports daily Marca.
"What happens in the changing room ends up being filtered to the media for me is a betrayal of Real Madrid," he said. "These things must stay in the changing room."
Looking Ahead to Clásico
Madrid now faces a second straight season without a major trophy, despite having France star Kylian Mbappé on the squad. The 43-year-old Arbeloa has only been in charge since January when he was promoted from Madrid's reserve team to replace the fired Xabi Alonso.
Arbeloa now has the difficult task of rallying his players for a game at fierce rival Barcelona on Sunday. Only a win by Madrid can stop Barcelona from clinching a second straight La Liga title, with the Catalan club holding an 11-point lead over Madrid with four games remaining.
"There is no doubt I have to take the responsibility for the fact that we have not risen to the challenge this season," Arbeloa said. "It is clear that feelings of frustration and anger can push you into situations that you don't desire. But now we must focus on Sunday's game."
Tchoumeni will be in Madrid's squad for the Clásico, while Valverde remains on medical leave recovering from his head injury.