Real Madrid News
Injured Real Madrid talisman wants to play against Cadiz no matter what – report
Lady luck has not been kind to Real Madrid this season, as an unfortunate wave of injuries has befallen the roster.
With a prominent list of absentees, the Merengues have been forced to make do with several limitations.
Jude Bellingham suffered a shoulder injury right before the international break, and went on to miss the games against SC Braga and Valencia.
Being the focal source of goals for Madrid this season, though, the 20-year-old’s return is highly anticipated.
Bellingham eager to make his return
As per Edu Aguirre on El Chiringuito TV, Jude Bellingham wants to play against Cadiz at all costs. Real Madrid also believes that they may have to force his return due to the various exclusions.
The Englishman suffered a shoulder dislocation against Rayo Vallecano, which saw him miss two clashes for Real Madrid and the Euro qualifiers with the England national team.
After a prolonged absence, Madrid hopes to have their goalscoring phenomenon back in their ranks very soon, considering Rodrygo and Joselu are the only two forwards available for selection.
The international break made matters worse as Camavinga and Vincius Jr. faced injuries with their respective national teams, causing Real Madrid more headaches in terms of their selection.
Guarantee of goals
Before the break commenced, it was reported that Bellingham would recover in time for Real Madrid’s next match against Cadiz.
However, even though it may appear a risk to bring him back into action so soon after recovery, Real Madrid lack options due to other injuries, which explains the club’s desire to force his return.
After all, the midfielder has already racked up a total of 16 goal contributions for Los Blancos this season.
Real Madrid face off against Cadiz this Sunday, and the player is desperate to make his return to the field.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
