Old Grudge, New Red Card: The Madrid Derby Reopens an Old Wound
23 March 2026
Old Grudge Reignites in the Madrid Derby
Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde was sent off in yesterday’s Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid, a moment that reopened an old file many hoped would stay closed. The red card appeared to be more than a rough tackle; it carried echoes of a personal feud that stretches back to 2023 and connects two very different chapters of this fierce rivalry.
The dismissal came after a robust challenge from behind on Alex Baena, prompting referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero to reach for the red. The moment intensified a heated exchange between the players and stoked the crowd’s nerves, turning a tactical contest into a personal story told on a wide stage.
What happened in 2023?
The thread runs back to April 2023, when Real Madrid lost to Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu. The ending of that game did not end the story, as tensions moved to the parking lot outside the stadium. According to reports, Valverde waited for Baena near his team’s bus and delivered a punch, catching the Uruguayan off guard as he was focused on his phone, not on a coming confrontation.
The punch was not random. It followed a sharp verbal exchange in which Valverde allegedly told Baena to repeat what he had said about Valverde’s son. The incident hinted at a personal grievance that transcended the match, turning what could have been a simple post-match incident into a saga that would haunt the teams for years.
What happened in 2023?
Madrid’s police attended the scene, and a report was filed after witnesses were questioned. There were rumors of video footage, but the outcome was ultimately a sporting disciplinary path rather than an ongoing legal one, with no immediate suspension for Valverde at that time.
And the 2026 clash: a red card that seems to sum up an old wound
Fast forward to 2026, and Baena reappears in the spotlight, this time wearing the Atletico Madrid shirt. Valverde’s tackle, delivered from behind, was judged sufficiently dangerous to merit a red card, reviving the sense that this feud is less about inches on the ball and more about personal history between the players.
Linking the two episodes feels plausible: a resentment sparked by a harsh personal attack around Baena’s family in 2023 appears echoed in the intensity of the 2026 derby moment. The scenes suggest that, for some duels, the scoreline is less important than the stories carried by the players on and off the pitch.
Read also: Read the full timeline of the 2023 incident that preceded the 2026 headlines.
In short, the 2026 moment is read by many as a continuation of the 2023 wound rather than a new chapter of a simple sporting spat. The derby once again turned the spotlight to emotion over tactics, to history rather than novelty, and to a narrative where football and personal stories collide.
Punchline time: If grudges had a scoreboard, this derby would need a bigger stadium just for the apologies. Another line: In football, the ball is round, but some feuds are square—best guarded by the referee’s whistle and a hot cup of coffee for the fans after the whistle blows.
captionUnderImage: Old wounds flare as the Madrid derby heats up again.
