Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has been cleared to start the new La Liga season after a potential sanction following an altercation with Villarreal’s Alex Baena was withdrawn.
Valverde was accused of punching Baena during a confrontation in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s 3-2 home defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in April.
Baena, who was later seen with a bruised and swollen cheekbone, filed a police complaint over the incident but the case was dismissed by a magistrates’ court in July after it was claimed there was no evidence of criminality.
Ahead of that decision, an investigating judge had proposed to the Spanish FA’s Competition Committee — an independent disciplinary body — that Valverde should be suspended for five matches.
But the Competition Committee confirmed on July 25 that it had decided not to sanction Valverde “after a thorough analysis of the written submissions received”.
The players clashed moments after Villarreal had earned a dramatic 3-2 win with two goals in the last 20 minutes at Real’s Bernabeu home.
Valverde, 24, confronted Baena — a Spain Under-21 international — in a parking area at the stadium after the game on April 8.
Baena was alleged to have made a comment to Valverde about the unborn baby his wife, Mina Bonino, was…
