‘I didn’t have to be a peacekeeper!’ – Jose Mourinho addresses Tchouameni & Valverde feud as Real Madrid boss sends stern warning over ‘fruitful’ Vinicius Jr’s form

The reconciliation was visible during Madrid’s recent Champions League victory over Inter Milan, where Tchouameni made his first appearance of the season after returning from World Cup duty. The Frenchman replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold late in the game and was seen embracing Valverde after the final whistle.

Mourinho admitted he was prepared to step in if the tension persisted after their international commitments, but he found a squad that had already moved on. ‘If I knew nothing, if I walked into the dressing room without knowing anything about the situation, I’d think they were great friends. When they came back from the World Cup, I was obviously paying attention to see whether I needed to act as a peacekeeper, but I didn’t have to do anything,’ Mourinho noted during his press conference.