Real Madrid News
Real Madrid see midfielder as ‘untouchable’ despite Bellingham’s imminent signing
With Jude Bellingham’s signing all but confirmed, Real Madrid must find a way to deal with a crowded midfield, as once the England international arrives, the team will have as many as seven options to choose from.
Over the last few weeks, Aurelien Tchouameni’s name has been doing rounds in the media due to a poor run of form. The Frenchman, who arrived at Real Madrid in June 2022 for a reported €80 million fee, has been struggling for form after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The 23-year-old has been overlooked in crucial matches in the recent past, but as journalist Santi Aouna writes for Foot Mercato, the midfielder is considered ‘untouchable’ by the club.
This means despite Bellingham’s arrival, Real Madrid will not sell Tchouameni in the summer.
The midfielder arrived in Madrid with the idea of having to represent the team in the long run and despite his ongoing struggle, the thought has not changed one bit. He is said to be crazy about the team and still wants to be a long-term player with them.
It must be remembered that Tchouameni made a promising start to his Real Madrid career. But ever since the World Cup in Qatar, his performances have dipped.
Good thing for the team that the 23-year-old is aware of his downfall and while speaking about it, he expressed that he is pretty much confident that he will bounce back.
“I’m confident, I know what I can do. There can be tough times in an athlete’s career, and this is the first time it’s happened to me — but I’m still learning. There is a lot of competition at Real and you have to be good to play,” the midfielder said after France’s 4-0 win over Netherlands back in March.
As of today, manager Carlo Ancelotti continues to trust his young midfielder and he is certainly not willing to lose any hope on him. The Italian continues to work with him and he will do so until he maximises the midfielder’s output.
Real Madrid News
Jose Mourinho wants more attacking options at Real Madrid despite reaching 500-goal milestone
Jose Mourinho wants Real Madrid to become even more dangerous in attack, despite reaching a significant milestone during their 4-3 victory over AS Roma.
According to MARCA, it has come to light that Antonio Rudiger’s goal against Roma helped Mourinho’s Real Madrid reach 500 goals under his management.
However, the achievement has not changed the Portuguese coach’s desire to add more variety to his team’s attacking play.
In fact, Mourinho wants a side capable of controlling possession, launching rapid counter-attacks and creating danger from set pieces, all without losing the defensive discipline that defines his approach.
Mourinho targets attacking variety at Real Madrid
Real Madrid already have considerable firepower at their disposal, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Yan Diomande, Arda Guler, Carlos Espi and Endrick, giving Mourinho several attacking options.
On top of that, the injured Rodrygo would provide another high-quality alternative once available.
Hence, the challenge is not only to score more goals, but to make Real Madrid less predictable.
Mourinho wants his forwards to exploit their pace in transition while ensuring the team can also break down opponents through patient build-up play.
Set pieces are another important part of his plans, as combining those threats with defensive organisation would give the team more ways to control matches and punish different types of opposition.
Mourinho reaches 500 goals for Real Madrid
Rudiger’s strike against Roma carried added significance because it took Mourinho to 500 goals in 188 matches as Real Madrid manager.
That works out at an average of 2.66 goals per game, the best return among club managers who have overseen at least 50 matches.
La Liga accounts for the largest share, with Real Madrid scoring 345 goals in 122 matches.
They have added 92 goals in 38 Champions League games, 55 in 24 Copa del Rey matches and eight in four Spanish Super Cup fixtures.
Their biggest victory during this spell came in the 2010-11 Copa del Rey, when Madrid beat Levante 8-0.
This season, though, the team are averaging 2.5 goals per match.
Mourinho wants more from Real Madrid’s attack
The numbers underline Real Madrid’s scoring power, but Mourinho is looking beyond the milestone.
His ambition is to build a more versatile attack that can adapt to different opponents rather than rely solely on individual brilliance or quick transitions.
With Mbappe and Vinicius offering pace and penetration, and several other options providing different qualities, Madrid have the personnel to develop that flexibility.
Hence, the next step is making those strengths work together consistently.
