Atlético Madrid has taken a sharp dig at Real Madrid over Federico Valverde’s unexpectedly quick return from injury. After Real Madrid diagnosed the midfielder with a grade-three ankle sprain following the Madrid derby, Atlético posted a sarcastic message on Friday congratulating their rivals for proving “100% of the world’s medical community was wrong.”
Atlético Mocks Valverde: What the Post Actually Said
The club’s official account posted: “We want to congratulate Real Madrid for continuing to make history by proving that 100% of the world’s medical community was wrong,” attaching four hashtags rather than three, #RecuperaciónMilagrosa (Miracle Recovery), #ParteMédico (Medical Report), #EsguinceGrado3 (Grade 3 Sprain), and #HistoriaQueTúHiciste (The Story You Made). The post turned Valverde’s return into a fresh flashpoint between the city rivals, with Atlético openly casting doubt on the severity of the injury Real Madrid had described weeks earlier.
What Happened in the Derby
Valverde suffered the injury during Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat at the Metropolitano on September 20, when a heavy challenge from Atlético’s Lee Kang-in left the Uruguay international with significant trauma to his left ankle. He finished the match, but Real Madrid confirmed two days later that he’d sustained a grade-three sprain, the most severe category, typically involving a complete or near-complete ligament tear and a recovery window of six to twelve weeks. There’s a wrinkle here that cuts the other way for Real Madrid, too: Lee Kang-in avoided a red card for the tackle at the time, a decision La Liga later admitted was incorrect, which is part of why the original incident still stings in Madrid.
Why Valverde’s Fast Recovery Caught Everyone’s Attention
Just 18 days later, Valverde returned to group training at Valdebebas and was named in José Mourinho’s squad for Saturday’s clash with Villarreal, still a doubt but available regardless. Medical timelines for grade-three sprains do vary, and some players recover faster than average with intensive rehab, so the speed alone doesn’t prove anything was fabricated. But it was more than enough of an opening for Atlético to take one more shot at their rivals, especially with the two Madrid clubs both needing to keep pace with Barcelona in the table. Atlético’s message doesn’t accuse Real Madrid of lying outright; it just lets the “100% wrong” line do that work for them. Whether Valverde actually starts against Villarreal remains to be seen, but Atlético has made clear it has no intention of letting the derby fade quietly.
Atlético Mocks Valverde Recovery With Brutal Real Madrid Dig