José Mourinho on Tchouameni and Valverde: From Conflict to Harmony
José Mourinho insists he has not needed to play peacemaker between Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, despite the bitter clashes that scarred Real Madrid’s dressing room last season.
The pair were involved in two separate altercations in May, one of which left Valverde in hospital with a head injury. It was the kind of feud that can split a squad in two and linger for months.
It hasn’t.
From hospital ward to harmony
The summer break reset the scene. Tchouameni signed a new contract. Valverde inherited the captain’s armband after Dani Carvajal’s departure. Statuses changed, responsibilities grew, and the mood around Valdebebas shifted with them.
Ahead of Madrid’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano, Mourinho painted a picture of a group that has done its own healing.
“Look, I haven't done anything. They've done everything themselves. The empathy within the group today, the friendship, the way they work together, the frustration when they go off because nobody wants to be substituted, but still supporting their teammates, the player who comes on in the final minute… the group is fantastic.”
The truce was not just internal. It played out on the biggest stage.
During Madrid’s recent Champions League win over Inter Milan, Tchouameni made his first appearance of the season after returning from World Cup duty. He came on late, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, and at the final whistle walked straight towards Valverde. The two embraced in front of the cameras. No theatrics. Just a clear signal: this is over.
Mourinho admitted he had braced himself for the opposite.
“If I knew nothing, if I walked into the dressing room without knowing anything about the situation, I'd think they were great friends. When they came back from the World Cup, I was obviously paying attention to see whether I needed to act as a peacekeeper, but I didn't have to do anything,” he said.
The coach who built his reputation on controlling every detail has, in this case, stepped back and watched the dressing room police itself.
Mourinho stands guard over Vinicius
With the midfield storm apparently settled, attention turned to another recurring Madrid storyline: Vinicius Jr. and the scrutiny that follows him.
The Brazilian ended a summer of speculation by signing a new long-term deal through 2032 last month. On paper, that should have closed the chapter on doubts about his future. On the pitch, though, he has started quietly: one goal in five games across all competitions.
For some, that is enough to reopen the debate. For Mourinho, it is background noise.
“The best Vinicius is coming soon. The one from last year, when the Bernabeu was terrified against Benfica and he ended up winning the tie. The Vinicius who won matches single-handedly hasn't arrived yet. But he will,” he told reporters.
This is not blind faith. Mourinho reached for the numbers that matter to today’s game.
“In an era of data and statistics, he's very close to his top speed. He's broken his records for high-intensity sprints, records for ball recoveries, for ball recoveries in the final third... He's coming.”
So while the goals column looks thin, the indicators that coaches obsess over are flashing green. Work rate. Explosiveness. Defensive contribution high up the pitch. To Mourinho, that profile belongs to a player on the verge of catching fire, not one in decline.
The questions from the Spanish media kept coming, and his tone hardened. He pushed back at the criticism aimed at a 26-year-old who already carries a trophy haul most players never touch: three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups, and a stack of other honours with Real Madrid.
To explain the backlash, he reached for home.
“In Portugal there's a proverb, I don't know if it's the same in Spain, ‘you only throw stones at trees that bear fruit.’ What has Vini done here in recent years? How many Champions Leagues has he won? How many goals has he scored? He's a tree with plenty of fruit. And people throw stones because they want fruit.”
It was a classic Mourinho line: simple, sharp, and impossible to misinterpret.
The message was clear. The dressing room disputes have been handled from within. The star forward has his manager’s full backing. And as Rayo Vallecano prepare to walk into the Bernabeu, they know they are facing a Madrid side that has not only survived its internal friction, but may just be sharpening itself because of it.
