BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥� Real Madrid coach 脕lvaro Arbeloa has defended players Federico Valverde and Aur茅lien Tchouam茅ni, saying their apologies for having scuffled were enough to settle the incident that led the club to fine both of them a whopping ($590,000).
鈥淢y players recognized their mistake, expressed their remorse and asked for forgiveness,鈥� Arbeloa told reporters in Madrid on Saturday in his first public appearance since the fight.
鈥淭hat is enough for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I am not going to do is burn them on a pyre in a town square, because they don鈥檛 deserve that. It is time to turn the page.”
The when Madrid practiced on Thursday ended with Valverde at the hospital to treat a head wound. Valverde said he had hit his head on a table, calling the incident 鈥渁 meaningless fight.鈥�
Madrid said 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, however, found the spat a serious enough breach of team discipline to slap the players with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player.
Arbeloa said he was satisfied with how the club had handled the situation, while also adding that he had seen worse behavior in his playing career as a defender, which included Madrid, Liverpool, West Ham and Spain鈥檚 national team.
鈥淚 had a teammate that hit another with a golf club,鈥� he said, without giving any more detail. 鈥淪ituations like this have always happened, but I am not justifying them.鈥�
During Arbeloa’s playing days at Liverpool, teammates Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise were involved in an incident in which Bellamy hit Riise with a golf club prior to a Champions League game at Barcelona in 2007.
Arbeloa鈥檚 harshest words were not for Valverde and Tchouam茅ni, but rather for whoever it was who told the media about the fight. It was first reported by Spanish sports daily Marca.
鈥淭hat what happens in the changing room ends up being filtered (to the media) for me is a betrayal of Real Madrid,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese things must stay in the changing room.鈥�
And now a trip to Camp Nou with everything to lose
Madrid is facing a second straight season without a major trophy, despite having 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 substitute the . It would be a major shock if he is not replaced after the season given the inconsistent play of his star-studded side.
Arbeloa now has the difficult task of rallying his players for on Sunday. Only a win by Madrid can stop Barcelona from clinching a second straight La Liga title, and even then it would likely just delay a title celebration by Barcelona with the Catalan club 11 points ahead of Madrid with four games left.
鈥淭here is no doubt I have to take the responsibility for the fact that we have not risen to the challenge this season,鈥� Arbeloa said. 鈥淚t is clear that feelings of frustration and anger can push you into situations that you don鈥檛 desire. But now we must focus on (Sunday鈥檚) game.鈥�
Tchouam茅ni will be in Madrid’s squad for the clasico, Arbeloa said, while Valverde is on medical leave recovering from his head injury.
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