Real Madrid News
Real Madrid coaching staff see 26-year-old star as key figure who brings ‘order and stability’
Real Madrid had to contend with the absence of Aurelien Tchouameni in the initial weeks of the season, with the Frenchman suffering from an injury he picked up at the World Cup.
However, importantly for Jose Mourinho, the 26-year-old has returned at a crucial juncture for Los Blancos, with the games coming thick and fast.
While Mourinho insists nobody in his squad is indispensable, the France midfielder appears to be about as close as it gets.
According to AS, Madrid’s coaching staff view Tchouameni as the player capable of bringing “order and stability” to the team.
He has the status of a key figure for major matches and is now strongly in contention to start against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano.
Tchouameni makes impressive return
There had initially been considerable caution surrounding his comeback and the desire to avoid a relapse.
Before the Elche game, Mourinho said: “He will get more minutes at Elche, without a doubt. He is getting better, stronger and more confident. He will definitely play, but I wouldn’t say how much.”
Madrid had been considering giving him just over half an hour as they carefully increased his workload. Instead, Tchouameni started alongside Federico Valverde and played 86 minutes.
Despite lacking competitive rhythm, he completed 40 passes with 95.2 percent accuracy. Among Madrid’s midfielders and forwards, only Arda Guler recorded a higher passing percentage.
He also made four recoveries in a match where Madrid struggled badly after a promising opening period.
Mourinho sees his midfield anchor
Madrid have occasionally been too easy to play through between the lines. Tchouameni provides protection in exactly those areas, while giving the players around him a more stable platform.
The coaching staff reportedly see him as the tactical piece capable of connecting Madrid’s lines and preventing opponents from exploiting spaces through the middle.
That becomes especially important in big matches. Even if players like Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva can play in that role, they are not the same profile.
If Jose Mourinho was naming an XI tomorrow for a Champions League game against major European opposition, the Frenchman would likely be one of the first names on the team sheet.
Metropolitano could provide the next step
The immediate question is whether his body is ready for another demanding assignment.
Tchouameni will have four days to recover from his 86-minute outing before the Atletico derby, and his physical condition will ultimately determine Mourinho’s decision.
Should he be available to start, though, it is a no-brainer for Mourinho to start him alongside Federico Valverde.
Madrid have plenty of players capable of creating and deciding matches. What Mourinho also needs is someone who can provide the foundation for that to happen.
Tchouameni is increasingly being viewed as that player, and his return could not have been more timely for Los Blancos.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
