Real Madrid News
Tchouameni opens up on facing Real Madrid teammate on international stage: ‘Very difficult’
A high-profile international friendly between Brazil national football team and France national football team brought together several familiar faces, especially from Real Madrid.
One of the standout matchups saw Aurelien Tchouameni go head-to-head with his club teammate Vinicius Jr., which is a rare occasion where the two found themselves on opposite sides.
France eventually secured a 2-1 victory, but beyond the result, it was the individual battles that drew attention.
Vinicius is difficult to face
Having the experience of both training with and playing against Vinicius, Tchouameni was asked about what it is like to face the Brazilian winger in a competitive setting.
Explaining the challenge after the match, he said,
“I have the chance to play alongside him, but playing against Vini is very difficult,” he admitted, as reported by MARCA.
Furthermore, despite France coming out on top, Tchouameni explained the quality of the Brazilian squad and their chances on the global stage.
Assessing Brazil’s strength, he said,
“Brazil is one of the favourites. With the players they have, they’re sure to be a very tough and difficult opponent during this World Cup,” he said.
A decisive role in France’s win
During the match, Tchouameni made a crucial impact.
The Real Madrid midfielder was instrumental in the opening goal, as he showcased his defensive awareness and ability to transition quickly.
He won possession from former Real Madrid star Casemiro in midfield before quickly releasing the ball forward.
His pass set up Ousmane Dembele, who carried the move forward before Kylian Mbappe finished the counterattack to give France the lead.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho sticks to his Champions League tradition ahead of Real Madrid’s clash vs AS Roma
Real Madrid are set to take on AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday in Italy.
Having returned from the international break with a 1-0 win over Villarreal, Los Blancos will be eager to build on it and record their second win in Europe, after beating Inter Milan last month.
Mourinho continues his tradition
And, as reported by Diario AS, the Real Madrid squad trained at Valdebebas before travelling for their Champions League fixture, just as they did during Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge between 2010 and 2013.
The approach breaks with the usual Champions League routine of training at the opposition’s stadium on the eve of a match.
Real Madrid had largely remained an exception to this trend. Mourinho was the first to change the club’s established procedure, but after his departure in 2013, the routine had returned.
Now, the club are going back to the approach he introduced. Following the training session, the squad will fly to Rome in the afternoon.
Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa followed the same approach
Xabi Alonso revived the practice last season in order to avoid giving direct access to his team’s preparations to the opposition. After Alonso’s dismissal, Alvaro Arbeloa continued the practice.
The team travel to the opposition’s stadium for the press conference, but otherwise complete their preparations at Valdebebas before flying out a few hours later.
Exceptions are made when the journey is too long to make the routine practical, as was the case with Almaty. Rome, however, is a relatively short trip, allowing Mourinho to maintain his preferred schedule.
Real Madrid’s flight is expected to depart at around 15:00, with the pre-match press conference scheduled for 18:00 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Four expected absentees
There were no new injury concerns, with Real Madrid set to travel without four players, all of whom were already expected to miss the match.
Eder Militao has returned to group training but still needs time to regain match fitness. Meanwhile, Raul Asencio remains unavailable after undergoing surgery for a fracture in his right tibia.
Ferland Mendy is also back training with his teammates but is expected to need slightly longer than Militao before returning to action. Rodrygo remains a long-term absentee.
