Real Madrid to appeal Valverde’s red card
Real Madrid are set to appeal Fede Valverde’s red card during Sunday’s Madrid Derby against Atlético de Madrid. Valverde tackled Álex Baena and the club believes it should have been a standard yellow card and that referee Munuera Montero sent the Uruguayan midfielder off because of his previous history with the Atlético player. The rift between the two midfielders began in early 2023, following a heated encounter in the parking lot of the Santiago Bernabéu where Valverde reportedly punched Baena, who was playing for Villarreal back then.
Valverde’s camp alleged the attack was provoked by a cruel taunt Baena made regarding Valverde’s wife’s high-risk pregnancy—specifically, “Cry now that your son is not going to be born”—an accusation Baena has consistently and vehemently denied. Either way, Real Madrid’s appeal will likely not be successful, meaning that Valverde will almost certainly miss the team’s next two games in La Liga.