Tchouaméni steps up his Real Madrid return, Mourinho eyes derby | OneFootball

Aurélien Tchouaméni continues to make steady progress in his return for Real Madrid. The French midfielder picked up minutes again after a muscle injury, and José Mourinho’s coaching staff is following a specific plan to get him back to his best level without taking risks.

After playing 11 minutes against Inter and 21 against Rayo Vallecano, the Frenchman is expected to have a bigger role against Elche. The forecast is that he will play more than half an hour at the Martínez Valero.

Mourinho confirmed that the player will be more involved, although he avoided setting an exact number of minutes.

The goal goes beyond the match against Elche: Real Madrid want Tchouaméni to be fit enough to start against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano.

A return without rushing

The midfielder missed the first four LaLiga matchdays due to an injury suffered during the World Cup.

Tchouaméni began to feel discomfort in his thigh before the round-of-16 match against Paraguay and ended up making the issue worse after later playing the game against Spain.

Since then, his recovery has been meticulous. The player has worked for weeks with gym sessions, physiotherapy, and individual training, while the medical staff carefully monitor the progress of the affected area.

The priority is clear: avoid a relapse.

That is why his minutes are increasing gradually, and each appearance also serves to assess how he is feeling physically.

Tchouaméni, a player Mourinho needs

The Frenchman’s return is important news for Mourinho.

The coach believes Tchouaméni can bring something Real Madrid have been missing during this start to the season: order, balance, and the ability to protect the area in front of the defense.

The midfielder is especially important for the double pivot and, although he will have to share minutes with other players, his presence will be key in the most demanding matches.

So far, he has played only 32 minutes this season, after being out of action for several weeks.

Starting against Atlético?

The match against Elche will be another test in his recovery. If the signs continue to be positive, Tchouaméni could take the next step at the Metropolitano.

The decision has not been made yet and will depend on his progress over the next few days, but the possibility of seeing him in the starting lineup against Atlético is already on the table.

Mourinho also spoke about the possibility of the Frenchman being called up by France for the next international break, now under Zinedine Zidane.

The Real Madrid coach believes that, if Tchouaméni is called up by France, it should be with careful management of his workload.

Mourinho calls for maximum caution

The affected muscle area requires special caution. Tchouaméni has now gone several weeks without pain, but the coaching staff do not want to rush his return unnecessarily.

The plan is clear: more minutes against Elche, assess how he feels, and then decide whether he is ready to start at the Metropolitano.

Real Madrid know that getting him back to one hundred percent is far more important than rushing his return.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.