José Mourinho on Tchouameni and Valverde: From Clashes to Unity

José Mourinho insists he has not had to play peacemaker between Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, despite the pair’s explosive clashes at the end of last season that left one of them in hospital.

The Real Madrid midfielders were involved in two separate altercations in May, with one incident serious enough to see Valverde suffer a head injury. Their feud dominated headlines and raised questions about whether the dressing room would fracture.

Instead, the opposite has happened.

From flashpoint to foundation

Over the summer, the dynamics inside the squad shifted. Tchouameni signed a new contract, committing his future to the club. Valverde, in turn, took on the captain’s armband after Dani Carvajal’s departure.

The mood changed with it.

Ahead of Madrid’s clash with Rayo Vallecano, Mourinho painted the picture of a group that has rebuilt itself from within, without his intervention.

“Look, I haven't done anything. They've done everything themselves,” he said. “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.”

That unity was on display in Europe. 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 when the final whistle went, he headed straight for Valverde. The pair embraced. No drama. No distance. Just teammates.

Mourinho admitted he had been ready to intervene if the World Cup had reopened old wounds.

“If I knew nothing, if I walked into the dressing room without knowing anything about the situation, I'd think they were great friends,” he said. “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.”

The crisis that once threatened to define Madrid’s midfield now looks more like a closed chapter.

Mourinho’s shield around Vinicius

With the Tchouameni–Valverde storyline cooling, attention has swung to another key figure: Vinicius Jr.

The Brazilian ended a turbulent summer of speculation by signing a long-term deal through 2032 last month, yet his start to the season has been subdued. One goal in five games across all competitions is a modest return for a player used to deciding titles and ties.

Mourinho, though, is not worried. Far from it. He sounds convinced that the devastating version of Vinicius is about to reappear.

“The best Vinicius is coming soon,” he told reporters. “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.”

In an era obsessed with numbers, Mourinho leaned on the data to back his belief.

“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.”

The message was clear: the goals will follow the work. The engine is already running hot.

Questions from the Spanish media about Vinicius’ form and consistency drew a sharper edge from Mourinho. He bristled at the tone of the criticism and framed it as the cost of greatness for a player who has already stacked up three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and two FIFA Club World Cups with Real Madrid.

To underline his point, he reached for a line from 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,’” he said. “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.”

The dressing room that once looked combustible now appears aligned behind its stars. The coach is standing firm in front of them. The question is no longer whether Real Madrid can hold it together, but how far this rebuilt core can carry the club this season.