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A recent report from COPE has revealed that a source close to Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has denied claims that he suffered a back injury, as suggested by manager Carlo Ancelotti in a press conference following his substitution during the team’s match against AC Milan.
According to the report, Valverde was perfectly fine during the game and was taken aback by Ancelotti’s explanation regarding his substitution.
The midfielder was reportedly surprised to hear that his coach had mentioned a back issue, as it was completely untrue. He is said to have been in good physical condition, and he does not understand why such a claim about an injury was made.
What’s the story?
The incident occurred in the first half of the match, where Ancelotti made the controversial decision to substitute both Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, bringing on Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Diaz in their places.
This substitution raised eyebrows, as it was made during half-time with no clear explanation at the time. After the game, Ancelotti addressed the substitution by stating that Valverde had not been fully fit and was suffering from a back issue.
The manager explained that this was the reason behind his decision to replace the Uruguayan midfielder, who he claimed was not physically at his best.
In fact, reports since then suggested that the Uruguayan international is a doubt for the weekend La Liga clash against Osasuna as well.
However, the COPE report contradicts Ancelotti’s statement, revealing that Valverde felt completely fine and was not dealing with any injury.
The confusion surrounding the manager’s comments has led to speculation about the real reason behind the substitution.
Valverde is reportedly puzzled by why such a claim about his fitness was leaked to the public, especially when there was no truth to it.
This situation has raised questions about the relationship between the player and the manager, as well as the communication within the team, and it remains to be seen how this will affect Valverde’s future involvement in the squad.