Carvajal explains his Getafe choice and revisits the Qatar offer

Carvajal has revisited the clash between Valverde and Tchouaméni, saying he was particularly bothered that it became public in the press just half an hour after it happened. He also explained why an offer from Al-Gharafa, which had led him to prepare a move to Doha, did not go ahead, and why he chose Getafe.

Carvajal played down the seriousness of the incident between the two players. “It wasn’t that important at all,” he said. He recalled that player altercations had happened during his time at Real Madrid without becoming public. What upset him, he explained, was how quickly the information leaked: “I’m one of those who think the dressing room should stay closed.”

The offer from Qatar had advanced far enough for Carvajal to organise his departure to Doha. But the war, experienced at close quarters in Qatar by his brother-in-law Joselu, influenced his decision. “When it touches you personally, it becomes a little frightening,” he said. He also explained that he had to weigh up the different options and had some hesitation about the transfer market in his country.

In the end, Getafe persuaded him. Carvajal described the choice as driven by a desire to play again and rediscover his enjoyment of football after an injury that, he said, had taken away some of that enjoyment over the previous two years. “I wanted to feel like a player again,” he said, adding that he believed he could keep playing for years.

The sporting project also mattered. Carvajal said Getafe’s goal of fighting to stay up had motivated him: he wanted to help the team. He insisted that he had not joined the club for the money and criticised La Liga’s salary rule, which he now considers “ridiculous”, particularly because, in his view, payments in kind are difficult to conceal.

Asked about his relationship with Arbeloa, Carvajal directed the question back to his interviewer: “He’s the person best placed to clarify those statements. I can’t say anything else.” He also said he had always respected the coach’s decisions, even when he was not starting, and had nothing to reproach the club or the coach for. Asked about the reception he might receive from the Bernabéu crowd as an opponent, he said warm applause would be enough, adding that he had always felt the crowd’s affection.