Carlo Ancelotti has defended the performance of former Liverpool target Aurelien Tchouameni ahead of the Reds' Champions League encounter with Real Madrid on Wednesday.
The reigning European Champions ended a three-match winless run with a 3-1 victory against Espanyol at the Bernabeu on Saturday, but the young midfield star, who joined Los Blancos in the summer, received some criticism for his below-par showing.
The French World Cup star has not hit the heights in La Liga since returning from Qatar, as he struggles to regain the form that saw him secure a big-money move to the Spanish capital before the start of the season. Madrid held off interest from the Reds to secure their man in a reported €80million deal. But Real boss Ancelotti defended the 23-year-old after the come-from-behind triumph at the weekend.
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Speaking to Real Madrid’s official website, Ancelotti said: "I thought Tchouameni played well. He lost the ball a couple of times, these kinds of games are not ideal for him. He’s got fantastic defensive attributes, when we have to keep the ball, he’s not going to give his best. He’s in good shape and we’re going to have faith in him for upcoming games."
Madrid will face Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday, holding a three-goal advantage thanks to a remarkable 5-2 away win at Anfield, where the Spaniards came back from 2-0 down.
But Tchouameni is by no means a certain starter for Los Blancos, as the Reds look to produce a seemingly impossible comeback on Spanish soil that, if achieved, would rank amongst the greatest European triumphs in the club's history.
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