Aurélien Tchouaméni, a Real Madrid player, spoke to the media at the Parc des Princes stadium before the match between France and Iceland, in the second match of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

He began his talk: "Injuries? There hasn't been much talk about it, but we all felt disappointed because of Ousmane (Dembélé) and Désiré (Doué) being injured. If there is a risk of injury, the coach is always understanding. In Madrid, there is always good communication between both parties."

On playing alongside Koné: "Manu is a great player. Many have noticed his quality. I am happy to play with him because he makes things easier for everyone."

Regarding his condition: "The season is going well. For a while now, I have been performing consistently with the club. The most important thing now is to focus on the next match."

On the impact of Xabi Alonso in Madrid: "Last season, I sometimes played in a defensive position, and that gave me different experience and vision. Coach Xabi Alonso has new ideas that add a lot to my playing style."

About tomorrow's match against Iceland: "We know it will be a tough match. All teams have outstanding players, but our focus will be on ourselves. If we play at our normal level, we will win. We need to maintain our level and repeat what we did against Ukraine."

He continued: "Mbappé? There have been many changes in his life recently, but he remains a player of very high quality. When he is at this level, it gives us a better chance of winning."

He added: "I have the quality, and sometimes I show it more, like I did against Ukraine. It depends on several factors. I have the ability to make decisive passes according to the situation, and that’s what I learned from Kroos and Modrić."

On facing Marseille in the Champions League: "I am happy to face Monaco and Marseille in the Champions League. The matches will be at our stadium, and we know that the atmosphere in Marseille is special. We are looking forward to the start of the tournament with excitement."

He added: "The Parc des Princes is wonderful, and the Stade de France holds a special place for us. We have many memories there. I don’t know what will happen regarding the stadium in the future; we will see."

He emphasized: "The most important thing is to win matches. If we win titles, our popularity will increase. There are many players who have become well-known on the street. In the last match against Croatia in March, we got closer to the fans, and I hope that qualifying for the World Cup will give us the opportunity to get even closer to them."

He concluded: "Changing your role with the national team? It depends on the playing style, whether it's 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. I have more freedom in some systems. If I play in front of the defense, I need to protect it. In a double midfield, I have the chance to push forward more. Every match is different depending on the opponent."