Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde is set to escape all punishment for allegedly punching Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena.
Following a match between the two teams in April, Valverde allegedly waited for Baena in the car park after the game and punched him in the face while he was looking at his phone.
The incident was reported to the police at the time, and a disciplinary investigation was opened. The police charges against Valverde were dropped after ‘inconsistencies’ in Baena’s story, who alleged Alvaro Odriozola was present, when cameras suggest he was not.
Baena was photographed in the following days with a bruise on his face, and despite the five-game ban that was recommended by a judge to the Competition Committee, they are set to leave Valverde without a sanction, as per El Espanol.
Los Blancos will also ask RFEF judge to recuse himself from future cases involving them, as they believe that Juan Antonio Landabarea manipulated Odriozola’s statement on the matter, and was not fair in his evaluations.
The incident is yet to be commented on publicly by Valverde, who has never denied the allegations. Given it appears all disciplinary and legal matters have been settled, the Uruguayan may give his perspective on what happened, if it was indeed a fabrication.
