Alex Baena 'punched by Federico Valverde' after Villarreal beat Real Madrid
By Tom Gott
Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena has admitted to being punched by Real Madrid's Federico Valverde after Saturday's meeting between the two sides, but has denied inciting the aggression with comments about the Uruguayan's son.
Two glorious goals from Samuel Chukwueze inspired Villarreal to an entertaining 3-2 victory over Real at the Bernabeu, with Valverde coming off the bench for the final half an hour of the game.
After the match, reports quickly emerged stating Valverde had waited for Baena in the car park after the game and punched the Villarreal man in the face.
Marca then claim to have reached out to Valverde's entourage, who confirmed the altercation and stated that Baena had been taunting Valverde about his wife's miscarriage scare earlier in the year - alleging the comments followed some malicious taunting from Baena during January's Copa del Rey clash between the two sides.
Baena was later spotted with a swollen cheek and took to social media to confirm he had been punched, but vehemently denied taunting Valverde.
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"Very happy with the team's impressive victory in a venue like the Santiago Bernabeu, but at the same time, very sad for the aggression I suffered after the game and surprised by what is being said about me," he wrote.
"IT IS COMPLETELY FALSE THAT I SAID THAT," Baena added
Valverde's representatives are quoted as saying: "Fede never has problems with anyone and this has been due to something very serious that comes from before.
"In the Copa del Rey match, Baena kicked Fede and told him: 'cry now that your son is not going to be born'. That was left there, but today he said something similar to him and Fede got heated. That's why he waited for him in the parking lot and told him that he didn't mess with family. And what happened happened."
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