Report: Headache for Mourinho as 2 Real Madrid players trade blows in dressing-room fight

This comes just months after a high-profile clash between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni in May, which left Valverde requiring hospital treatment and both players heavily fined by the club.

Journalist Anton Meana, speaking on the programme El Larguero, said the atmosphere inside the squad remains “as icy as it was five months ago.”

According to the report, deep-rooted tensions that existed under previous coaches Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa have continued under José Mourinho, and the latest incident shows the Portuguese manager has so far been unable to fully restore harmony.

The identities of the two players involved have not been revealed. 

The fresh unrest coincides with growing frustration around Kylian Mbappé.

The French forward withdrew from international duty with a knee injury, only to be photographed at a Paris nightclub and later post a video of himself cycling in the Swiss Alps.

Mourinho is understood to have been unhappy with how Mbappé managed his recovery and reportedly told the striker he must show greater discretion.

Real Madrid sit six points behind Barcelona in La Liga after seven matches.

Mourinho’s side face Villarreal at the Bernabéu on Saturday before a Champions League trip to Roma next week, leaving the manager with little time to settle the internal friction.