Report – Mourinho’s plans for Real Madrid midfielder recently returned from injury

Report – Mourinho’s plans for Real Madrid midfielder recently returned from injury 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. Tchouameni made his first appearance of the season vs Inter. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) 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 views Tchouameni as a key player. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) 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.