Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder clarifies Barcelona star did not cause injury during El Clasico
Real Madrid secured a crucial 2-1 win over arch-rivals FC Barcelona on Saturday afternoon, which helped them stretch their atop the La Liga standings.
However, the victory came at a cost as key midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni suffered from an injury during the game at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
What happened to Tchouameni?
Tchouameni started the game against Barcelona at the base of Real Madrid’s diamond midfield formation and went on to play the entire ninety minutes, helpind his team to a 2-1 victory.
However, on Sunday, the club revealed that the midfielder had suffered a fracture in his right leg which will see him sidelined for the foreseeable future.
As soon as the news of Tchouameni’s injury surfaced, Barcelona midfielder Gavi was blamed for it on social media because the two players had a coming-together during the match at the Montjuic Stadium.
However, the Real Madrid ace has come out and clarified that Gavi and his challenge had nothing to do with the injury he sustained on Saturday.
“It’s not Gavi’s fault. I was injured at the end of the first half,” he wrote on social media.
No es culpa de Gavi. Me lesioné al final de la primera mitad https://t.co/80QK1668n8
— Tchouameni Aurélien (@atchouameni) October 30, 2023
How long will Tchouameni be out?
If reports are to be believed, Tchouameni is now expected to be sidelined for close to two months, meaning he could return to action just before the Christmas break at best.
The 23-year-old midfielder, who continues to be on the radars of Arsenal and Liverpool, has been a key player for Carlo Ancelotti this season. As such, his injury comes as a blow for Real Madrid.
But it could open the doors for someone like Luka Modric to feature more prominently as one of Toni Kroos or Eduardo Camavinga would now occupy the pivot midfield position.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
