# Atletico Madrid Mocks Real Madrid After Federico Valverde’s Early Return
Atletico Madrid has launched another attack on Real Madrid, this one targeting Federico Valverde’s surprisingly fast comeback from an ankle injury that once looked likely to sideline him for several weeks.
The Uruguayan midfielder went down during the Madrid derby at the Metropolitano after a challenge from Lee Kang-in.
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Although the match official and the VAR team did not consider the tackle red-card worthy, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) later admitted the South Korean player should have been dismissed.
The episode resurfaced as a topic of discussion once Valverde resumed training much sooner than the recovery window usually linked to the injury diagnosis given by Real Madrid.
What’s the story?
Real Madrid’s medical report diagnosed Valverde with a grade three ankle sprain, which meant he had to leave Uruguay’s squad for the international break.
Recovery from such an injury typically takes between six to 12 weeks. Still, Valverde was back training with his teammates at Valdebebas only 18 days after picking up the injury, with his return landing right as the international break concluded.
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Jose Mourinho initially called the midfielder a doubt for Real Madrid’s upcoming clash against Villarreal, though Valverde eventually made the squad, adding yet another turn to the tale.
Atletico’s sarcastic tweet takes aim at Real Madrid
Atletico acted quickly to respond to the development, taking to their official X account to challenge the medical assessment released by their city rivals.
The club sent a sharp message implying Valverde’s recovery ran counter to what medical experts around the world expect.
“We’d like to congratulate Real Madrid on continuing to make history by proving that 100 per cent of the global medical community was wrong.”
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Atletico then deepened the sarcastic mood with a string of hashtags aimed straight at Madrid’s original diagnosis.
Valverde was thought to miss the Villarreal clash. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“#MiraculousRecovery #MedicalReport #Grade3Sprain #TheStoryYouMade”.
The post made Valverde’s return another flashpoint between the two Madrid clubs, with Atletico openly questioning how serious the injury was according to their rivals.
Another chapter to derby rivalry
The exchange follows an already heated derby, with the challenge on Valverde and the referee’s later admission keeping the match in the news.
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Atletico’s post moves the debate away from the tackle itself and onto the credibility of Real Madrid’s medical report.
Yet, the midfielder’s early comeback by itself does not prove the original diagnosis was wrong.
With Valverde back in the running for Mourinho’s side, the focus now shifts to whether he will play against Villarreal and how Madrid will handle his fitness following the quick recovery.