Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfield mainstay to miss home opener against Real Sociedad
Real Madrid are preparing to make their long-awaited home debut of the new La Liga season, but Aurelien Tchouameni is increasingly unlikely to be part of the occasion.
As per MARCA, the French midfielder did not train with the rest of the squad on the eve of the Real Sociedad clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, casting further doubt over his availability.
After already missing the league opener against Espanyol, Tchouameni now looks set to sit out another important fixture.
His absence is particularly notable because there had been signs of progress.
The Real Madrid midfielder returned to group training yesterday, raising hopes that he was moving closer to a return.
However, his failure to train again today suggests the club is not yet ready to push him back into action.
Tchouameni’s return has been delayed
Tchouameni had recovered from a minor injury last week and was able to train with the group before the match against Espanyol.
However, that did not convince Mourinho to include him.
The Real Madrid manager felt the midfielder was still short of full fitness and chose to leave him behind rather than risk aggravating the problem.
His return to training yesterday appeared to be another step forward, but today’s absence from the group has made the situation clear once again.
Simply put, Tchouameni is still working his way back.
The expectation is that he will once again miss the Real Madrid squad for the Real Sociedad game, although the final decision will depend on Mourinho and the medical staff.
Mourinho explains Real Madrid are protecting him
Speaking before the match, Mourinho offered a detailed explanation of why Real Madrid have chosen to take a cautious approach.
The Portuguese coach pointed to the physical demands Tchouameni faced during the World Cup and made it clear that the midfielder has already pushed himself hard.
“He’s been through a lot at the World Cup – that’s what the World Cup is like. He gave it his all. He played his heart out in the semi-finals.
“There’s a problem: the player wants to and could have carried on, but we believe he needs to start the season at 100 per cent.
“We’ve decided, together with him and the coaching staff, that he should wait, so that he can return a week or two later, but at 100 per cent,” said the manager
Tchouameni himself is willing to return, but Mourinho wants him physically ready to handle the demands of the season before putting him back on the pitch.
In what will come as a pleasing development for fans, Fabrizio Romano reports that Real Madrid forward Rodrygo could make a comeback from his injury earlier than expected.
The 25-year-old Brazilian international has been out of action since March after suffering an ACL injury during a La Liga game against Getafe.
Due to the complete rupture of the ACL, coupled with associated meniscus damage, it was suggested that the attacker was staring at a lengthy time out on the sidelines and might not return until 2027.
In fact, the forward’s father, Eric Goes, recently stated in an interview that the Real Madrid ace could be back in February next year, just before the business end of the campaign.
Rodrygo could be back in December
However, as per the update from Romano, Rodrygo’s comeback could happen well before that expected date.
Indeed, if things continue to progress at the current rate, the 25-year-old attacker might return to action in December or by January 2027 at the latest.
This will come as a welcome boost for Jose Mourinho & co., considering that Rodrygo is a valuable player for the team.
Even though he had endured a tough spell prior to his form, the Brazilian’s versatility, work rate off the ball, and eye for a goal make him an asset.
Rodrygo eager to be back at his best
The update from Romano further states that Rodrygo feels very grateful to Real Madrid for all the help and support they have given him during this difficult phase of his career.
As such, the Brazilian international has made it a mission to return to action in the best shape possible and make an impact from the get-go.
The attacker has only recently begun working on the pitch with the ball indicating the significant progress he has made on the road to recovery.
And, if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could recover one of their ace attackers before the end of the current year.
So far in his career, Rodrygo has made 297 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 71 goals. He has a contract with the club until 2028.
