Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfield star expected to be available at the start of the season despite injury woes
Aurelien Tchouameni’s World Cup campaign was marred by an injury that saw him miss a few key knockout fixtures.
He did return to action against Spain in the semifinal but the French team was completely outplayed by Luis de la Fuente’s men.
Since then, Tchouameni’s fitness has been a subject of much debate, and it appears the midfielder is still suffering from a knock.
Tchouameni should be ready despite injury woes
A recent report from Arancha Rodriguez has confirmed that Tchouameni is indeed struggling with minor muscle issues.
With the season just around the corner, this should be a point of concern for Real Madrid. But the journalist suggests the midfielder should be ready when the new season kicks off.
The French international is expected to train individually over the next few days before he is prepared for group training.
Overall, Tchouameni should have ample time to get back to full fitness by the time Real Madrid kickstart their campaign.
The Spanish giants are slated to face Espanyol in their league opener on August 22.
Tchouameni’s current status at Real Madrid
Injury woes aside, Tchouameni is one of the players who have been linked with a move away from Real Madrid.
But it appears that is no longer a concern as the team values his credentials and therefore, he is expected to stay at the club.
The equation could have been different in Real Madrid had succeeded in signing Rodri. But the Manchester City superstar has opted to join Barcelona instead.
That clears the way for Tchouameni to become a key operator for Los Blancos next season. He will be the main bridge between defence and the attack.
However, the French has faced criticism for his rather slow nature of play as he takes too much time circulating possession from defence to attack. That is something he needs to work on, especially if Real Madrid are to start the season without a proper holding midfielder like Rodri.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
