Real Madrid release Federico Valverde statement after damaging derby defeat in La Liga

By Matt Law | 21 Sep 2026 10:30, Last updated: 21 Sep 2026 10:32

Real Madrid have revealed that Federico Valverde suffered "a severe trauma to his left ankle" during Sunday's Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid.

The midfielder picked up the injury during a challenge from Atletico's Lee Kang-in.

Valverde was able to complete the match, but the severity of the diagnosis has put his involvement for Uruguay during the international break in doubt.

Diego Forlan's side will face Japan and South Korea in international friendlies before the end of the month, but it would now be a surprise if the Real Madrid midfielder was involved.

"Following the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a severe trauma to his left ankle, sustained during this afternoon's match. Valverde will undergo further tests in the coming hours," read a statement.

The fact that Valverde was able to complete the match is a major positive, and he is expected to be available for the team's next fixture against Villarreal on October 10.

Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat in the Madrid derby, with Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David on the scoresheet for Atletico; Antonio Rudiger's late goal for Los Blancos only proved to be a consolation.

Dean Huijsen was sent off for Real Madrid early in the second half, but head coach Jose Mourinho insisted in his post-match press conference that Kang-in should have been given a red card for his tackle on Valverde, in addition to Cristian Romero for a challenge on Jude Bellingham.

"The story of the game is here," Mourinho said during his press conference while holding up the images of the two challenges. "They're two clear red cards. With the difficulties we had afterwards - with 11 versus 10 [players] - you could imagine what it would have been like [for us] for 50 minutes with 11 versus nine.

"It's the CTA [the referee's committee]. It's all been very strange. It's a referee [Ortiz Arias] who, at 41, doesn't have international experience. I don't know why he was the referee. The poor guy came here and couldn't cope with the pressure.

"But for [the VAR] there's no pressure, at [RFEF HQ] Las Rozas there's no pressure. Or maybe there is and we don't know. That combination - a poor referee, who's only done small games, and a VAR with a big history. Congratulations to the CTA."

Real Madrid will be bidding to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they welcome Villarreal to Bernabeu on October 10.

Mourinho's side have now lost twice in the league this season and currently sit fourth in the La Liga table, six points behind the leaders Barcelona.

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