It has been claimed that Real Madrid's Fede Valverde hit Alex Baena, a player from Villarreal, in the parking lot of Santiago Bernabeu stadium following their La Liga match on Saturday.
Following Villarreal's 3-2 victory against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Saturday, a shocking incident occurred between two players.
Federico Valverde, a midfielder for Real Madrid, allegedly waited by the Villarreal team bus in the stadium's parking lot and confronted Alex Baena, a midfielder for Villarreal. Valverde is said to have punched Baena after the latter made derogatory comments about Valverde's unborn child.
Ugly comment from Baena
According to ESPN, the incident stemmed from an on-pitch moment during a Copa del Rey clash in January, where Baena allegedly told Valverde: 'Cry, because your child won't be born.'
Valverde's partner, Mina Bonino, had previously disclosed on social media in February that the couple feared that they would lose their unborn child, but further tests revealed that the pregnancy was healthy.
Baena has denied making any derogatory remarks, tweeting later in the evening:
'Very happy with the impressive victory for the team on a stage like the Santiago Bernabeu, but at the same time very sad about the aggression I suffered after the match. [I am] surprised by what is being said about my person. It is completely false that I said [comments about Valverde's family].'
According to sources from the Mirror, Villarreal has not filed a complaint as a club, leaving the matter in the hands of winger Baena, who has the option to file a complaint with the police, Spanish football's competition committee, or both.
Mixed response from clubs and players
The response from both clubs and players has been mixed. Xisco Nadal, Villarreal's team delegate, posted on Twitter after the alleged incident, in a now-deleted tweet: 'Fede Valverde, loutish and cowardly.'
On Sunday, Villarreal issued a statement stating that Baena had informed the police about the reported attack. The club did not reveal the identity of the attacker, but indicated that the incident occurred as Baena was heading towards the away team bus after Villarreal's 3-2 victory. It statement read:
'Villarreal CF rejects any act of violence and firmly believes in the player’s version of events and will support him throughout the process.'
Meanwhile, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti lamented on Spanish TV station Movistar Plus after the match, saying:
'It was a difficult game, we had chances, and we could have made it 3-1 and slowed down the pace of the game, but it didn't happen. We could have defended better. To be honest, it was hard for us to be 100% motivated, it's quite normal.'
Looking ahead to the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash against Chelsea on Wednesday, Ancelotti added:
'We have no doubts, Wednesday is a different story. The temperature has dropped a little today, but on Wednesday, it will be at full strength.'
What would happen next?
According to the Guardian, in case Valverde is found to have assaulted Baena, he could face criminal charges and a ban from football. In addition, Real Madrid could also face disciplinary action from the Spanish Football Federation.
Villarreal has announced that they won't pursue the matter regarding the alleged attack on Baena. However, the club has supported Baena in his decision to press charges through the legal system. As neither Baena nor Villarreal has reported the incident to the league, it was believed that Valverde would not face any sporting consequences.
However, according to a report from Sport, the Anti-Violence Committee, which is responsible for investigating and penalizing acts of violence and discrimination in La Liga, will have to take action based on the police report. If Baena's injury is considered minor, Valverde could face only a fine. But if the injury is deemed serious and requires medical treatment, the consequences could be much more severe.
In this case, the Anti-Violence Committee may refer the matter to the Federation, which would lead to a suspension of 2-4 games for Valverde. If they determine that the incident is more serious, they may apply the Sports Law, which could result in a ban of one to six months from all sporting venues. Such a penalty would be significant for Valverde.
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