Real Madrid News
Real Madrid star fit and firing as he shakes off injury scare ahead of France vs Spain semifinal
Football fans are awaiting perhaps the biggest blockbuster of this World Cup so far as France take on Spain in the first semifinal on Tuesday.
All eyes will be on the headline clash between Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. But heading into this clash, there was a slight injury scare for star man Mbappe after he was forced off around the 77th minute against Morocco.
The Frenchman himself then later confirmed that the knock wasn’t serious and that he should be able to return to contention in the semifinal against Spain.
No cause for concern for Mbappe
Now, a recent report from MARCA has offered a key update on Mbappe’s fitness, confirming that the Real Madrid striker took to the training pitch without any limitations following the ankle injury that forced him off in the last match.
In France, there was no cause for alarm, but the usual protocol was followed to avoid any complications.
Mbappe underwent a medical examination as soon as he sat on the bench, applied ice to reduce the swelling, and was monitored in the hours that followed.
He returned to training normally alongside the group of players who have accumulated the heaviest minutes, including Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, in a recovery session featuring running and activation exercises.
Two defensive doubts for France
While the news on Mbappe was positive, France did have a couple of question marks following their return to training after the rest day granted by Didier Deschamps.
Center-backs Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba, both of whom have been central to France’s run to the semifinals, were absent from the group training session, an absence that inevitably raised eyebrows.
Despite this, the French camp is projecting a sense of complete calm. Saliba has been managing back problems for several weeks, an issue that forced him to miss a number of sessions during the tournament without affecting his match availability.
Upamecano, meanwhile, has followed a specific workload management plan throughout the World Cup, incorporating individual training at various points to keep him fresh for the biggest matches.
The feeling within the French camp is that both defenders will be available for the semifinal, with the coaching staff simply exercising caution three days out from such a significant fixture.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
