Real Madrid: Valverde suffers ligament tear, Mourinho reignites refereeing controversy

Federico Valverde has sustained a grade 3 sprain of his left ankle, the most severe form of this injury, following Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Atlético in the derby. The diagnosis indicates a complete tear of a ligament, forcing the Uruguayan midfielder to miss upcoming matches for his national team.

Valverde was injured after a tackle from Lee Kang-in during the match. The Real Madrid player managed to finish the game before medical examinations revealed the extent of the injury.

Real Madrid has confirmed the diagnosis but has not officially announced a specific duration of absence. Several Spanish media outlets report that he could be sidelined for two to three weeks.

José Mourinho has primarily used this injury to renew his criticisms of the refereeing during the derby. The Madrid coach believes that the challenge on Valverde should have resulted in a harsher penalty.

Mourinho presented footage at a press conference

After the defeat, the Portuguese manager faced journalists with clips of several actions he deemed controversial.

He specifically highlighted the tackles suffered by Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, while Real Madrid finished the match with ten players following Dean Huijsen’s red card.

Atlético won 2-1, while Diego Simeone called for greater respect in comments regarding officiating after the match.

In any case, Valverde will miss Uruguay’s upcoming international fixtures due to his injury.