Atlético Madrid took aim at Real Madrid after Federico Valverde, the Uruguayan midfielder, was named in the squad for Saturday’s game against Villarreal, 17 days after Madrid announced he had suffered a grade-three ankle sprain. Marca reported the club’s sarcastic message on Friday 9 October, reviving the dispute over the derby injury and the speed of Valverde’s return.
The post framed his availability as a “miracle”, turning the recovery into another public exchange between the Madrid rivals. Valverde had completed Real Madrid’s final training session without problems and was available to manager Mourinho for the first match after the international break.
The derby injury and Valverde’s return
Valverde was injured during the derby at the Metropolitano on Sunday 20 September, which Real Madrid lost 2-1. The incident involved a challenge by Kang-in Lee; Madrid sought a direct red card for the tackle. The episode added to the tension around a match that continued to generate arguments after the final whistle.
Real Madrid first described Valverde’s condition as severe trauma to his left ankle after the game. Following further tests, the club announced on Tuesday 22 September that he had a grade-three sprain in the same ankle and that his recovery would depend on his progress. His return to the squad came 17 days after that diagnosis, rather than 17 days after the derby itself. The injury and its first updates were also covered in Real Madrid’s initial assessment of Valverde.
Atlético turns the medical timeline into a taunt
Atlético published its message on its official social-media account, with the wording aimed at Madrid’s medical timeline. The club wrote: “Queremos felicitar al Real Madrid por seguir haciendo historia al demostrar que el 100% de la comunidad médica mundial estaba equivocada”. The remark was ironic rather than a formal response to the diagnosis.
The post kept the focus on a controversy that had begun with Lee’s challenge and intensified after Madrid’s medical update. Marca described Atlético’s message as a continuation of the dispute, with the derby still being played out in public three weeks after the match. The two clubs’ exchanges had already extended beyond the pitch, including a separate episode of institutional sparring in the aftermath of the derby, as the clubs traded public responses.
Valverde’s inclusion means he was available for selection against Villarreal, but it does not establish how many minutes he would play. Nor does the reported exchange indicate that either club had made a formal complaint or that the dispute would prompt an official response. Atlético’s jab instead added another chapter to the argument around the challenge, Madrid’s diagnosis and the midfielder’s return.
