Carreras denies Real dressing-room bust-up reports

06/05/2026

MADRID, May 6 (Xinhua): Real Madrid defender Alvaro Carreras has denied reports of a dressing-room bust-up, saying recent claims about him "do not correspond to reality." The 23-year-old, who joined from Benfica last summer, has fallen out of favor with coach Alvaro Arbeloa in recent weeks. Spanish radio station Onda Cero reported that Carreras had been struck by a teammate following an argument between La Liga games against Alaves and Real Betis.

Carreras responded with a statement on social media.

"In recent days, certain insinuations and comments have arisen about me that do not correspond to reality," he wrote.

"My commitment to this club and to the coaches has been absolute from day one and will continue to be so.

"Regarding the incident with a teammate, it's a minor, isolated matter that's already been resolved. My relationship with the whole team is very good. Hala Madrid!" Carreras was overlooked in Sunday's 2-0 win away to Espanyol, with Fran Garcia preferred at left back after Ferland Mendy suffered a season-ending muscle injury.

Garcia is expected to retain his place when Real Madrid faces Barcelona in Sunday's Clasico, where anything other than a Madrid

Mendy had to leave the field after just 15 minutes of Sunday's game and was replaced by Fran Garcia.

win would see Barcelona crowned La Liga champion.

"Following tests carried out today on our player Ferland Mendy by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a tendon injury in the rectus femoris of his right leg," the club said on its official website on Monday.

It is the defender's fifth injury of the season, in which he has made just nine first-team appearances. Injuries have been a constant problem for the left back since he joined from Olympique Lyon in 2019, limiting him to 210 appearances in seven years and preventing him from making more than 26 league appearances in a single season.