Real Madrid News
Real Madrid will turn to 22-year-old forward to lead the attack in Vinicius’ absence
Real Madrid have been rocked by the injury of Vinicius Jr, who has been ruled out for at least six weeks and could miss a series of crucial games in the coming month.
With Vini on the sidelines, Real Madrid have limited numbers in the attacking unit, which could make the job very difficult for the Spanish giants, as they look to continue their excellent start to the campaign.
Rodrygo to take up the mantle
While Vinicius’ injury is indeed a major blow, Rodrygo is more than prepared to take on the mantle of leading the Real Madrid frontline, reports Diario AS.
The Spanish news outlet suggests Rodrygo will be assigned Vinicius’ role until the latter comes back from his injury.
In a 4-3-3 formation, the idea is to play Rodrygo on the left-hand side, with Joselu operating as the central striker, as preferred by the former Stoke City forward.
Federico Valverde would occupy the right wing, which is otherwise preferred by Rodrygo. The new Real Madrid frontline, therefore, could comprise Valverde, Rodrygo and Joselu.
In a 4-3-1-2, Rodrygo is expected to lead the Real Madrid frontline alongside Joselu, with four midfielders completing the second line of press.
The additional support Jude Bellingham in the number ten role should be crucial in aiding Real Madrid’s productivity in the final third.
More than capable
Rodrygo, for his part, has proven his goalscoring credentials over the past few years. During the 2021/22 term, the 22-year-old had produced a tally of nine goals and ten assists.
Last season, the Brazilian was involved in a total of 30 goals in all competitions, scoring 19 and assisting 11, showing a major improvement in his output.
Even in the current season, Rodrygo has scored one goal in three matches and his numbers could increase as Real Madrid look to make him the focal point in the attack.
As for Vinicius, the Brazilian international is expected to return to action against Sevilla on October 22.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
