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The Madrid room was like gunpowder
625 kilometers from the Spanish capital, specifically in Lisbon, Jose Mourinho was directly aware of the serious incident between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Chuamini, which took place in the corridors of the Valdebebas training center of Real Madrid.
Benfica’s current Portuguese coach has been briefed by Real on the incident that began on Wednesday and ended on Thursday after the Uruguayan was taken to hospital with a concussion, two historic fines were handed down and the Madrid club was thrust into headlines around the world.
Case description
The story, which reached Mourinho without anyone inside Madrid excusing Chuamini’s behaviour, puts Valverde largely responsible for the Frenchman’s continued insistence on leaking information to the media.
Mourinho was also confirmed that the incident also exposed the lack of experience of coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who failed to separate the players and intervene in violent interventions and arguments on the pitch during training.
Report to Mourinho
The fact that Mourinho was informed of the details of the dispute between the players, whether on Wednesday or Thursday, is a clear indication of his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu next season.
As reported by AS newspaper, the management of Real Madrid sees the Portuguese coach as the best possible alternative to lead the necessary changes in the dressing room, which is in an obvious state of disrepair, with the absence of real leaders and a very tense atmosphere for a long time.
Frequent tension throughout the season
Informed sources at the Valdebebas training center confirm that episodes of tension and altercations between the players, although none of them have reached the seriousness of what happened between Valverde and Choameni, have recurred at an unwelcome rate this season.
Mourinho, who coached Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013 and led them to La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa titles, is acutely aware of the extent of division within the group, which suffers from a growing climate of discord and personal conflict.
Real Madrid are looking for a coach to restore unity
In light of these growing tensions, Real Madrid believe they are in dire need of a coach with a strong personality who can restore unity in the dressing room, and Mourinho’s name seems to be ahead of the rest of the options presented.
Although neither side officially admits the existence of direct negotiations, people close to the Portuguese coach believe that his return to the bench of the Royal Club has become possible and realistic.
Mourinho is ready to calm things down and fix the competitive path of a team that looks set to win no titles this season, unless a major miracle happens with the rest of El Clasico’s results.
“Benfica” considers Mourinho “almost absent”
Benfica, meanwhile, consider Mourinho to be a near miss for them, despite the Portuguese club’s president Rui Costa’s repeated attempts to renew his contract.
The Portuguese coach has a release clause in his contract that allows him to leave for just three million euros, with the deadline set at the end of this May. The amount will remain in effect until ten days after he takes charge of Benfica’s final match of the season on the weekend of May 16.
