Real Madrid could be without Aurélien Tchouaméni for weeks after the midfielder sustained an ankle injury against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Not many alarm bells sounded when Carlo Ancelotti substituted Tchouaméni at halftime against AC Milan on Nov. 5. Real Madrid was down a goal and lacking urgency, especially in the midfield. Eduardo Camavinga, a natural replacement for the Frenchman, came on the pitch and finished the game.
It was not until the day after the 1–3 defeat that Real Madrid confirmed Tchouaméni suffered an injury. "Following tests carried out [on Nov. 6] by Real Madrid's Medical Services on our player Aurélien Tchouameni, he has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle. His progress will be monitored," the club said in a statement.
Tchouaméni started 14 of Real Madrid's 16 matches across all competitions this season, and a potentially long-term injury gives Ancelotti plenty of decisions to make in the midfield.
Here's the latest on Tchouaméni's injury.
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When Will Aurelien Tchouameni Return From Injury?
Although Real Madrid did not provide a definitive return date for Tchouaméni, the midfielder is due to miss a month of action, per ESPN. He is not expected to return for club or country until early December.
If Tchouaméni indeed spends the next four weeks on the sidelines, he will miss key matches for both Real Madrid and France. Los Blancos will be without their starting defensive midfielder against Osasuna on Nov. 9, Leganes on Nov. 24 and Getafe on Dec. 1. Along with the three La Liga fixtures, Tchouaméni will also be unavailable for Real Madrid's trip to Anfield on Nov. 27 in the Champions League.
It is possible he also misses La Liga matches against Athletic Club on Dec. 4 and Girona on Dec. 8 should his recovery take him into December.
Les Bleus will also have to play their two November UEFA Nations League matches without the 24-year-old; Tchouaméni will not feature against Israel on Nov. 14 and Italy on Nov. 17.
Potential Aurelien Tchouameni Replacements for Real Madrid
The most natural replacement for Tchouaméni is Camavinga. The 21-year-old has proven he can play as a No. 6 and in some ways, he is arguably better in the middle of the park than Tchouaméni. Along with his defensive prowess and skill off the ball, Camavinga brings an added creativity to the position Real Madrid desperately needs right now.
Camavinga's minutes have been limited in 2024–25 after he missed the first two months of the season with a knee injury, but he will quickly see his playing time increase with this injury to his fellow France teammate.
Ancelotti could also play Fede Valverde in Tchouaméni's position, though the Uruguayan is not a natural defensive midfielder. Putting Valverde alongside Camavinga in a double pivot is an option as well; in fact, the last time Ancelotti deployed the two alongside one another, Valverde bagged a goal and an assist against Villarreal on Oct. 5.
The bad news for Real Madrid is Tchouaméni's injury goes beyond the midfield. The Frenchman also served as a backup center-back for Los Blancos should Éder Militão or Antonio Rüdiger get hurt or need rest. Ancelotti now does not have a single reliable backup for the backline as long as Tchouaméni (and David Alaba) remain sidelined.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Aurelien Tchouameni Injury: Progress & Potential Return Date for Real Madrid Midfielder.
