Tchouaméni cornerstone of Mourinho's project with Real Madrid

Aurélien Tchouaméni's return to the starting lineup for Real Madrid was not just an ordinary return, but one of the most awaited comebacks within the team, especially given the status the player has gained with the coaching staff led by José Mourinho.

Despite Mourinho's assertion that no player can be described as "indispensable", Aurélien Tchouaméni's role within the Portuguese coach's project appears to be different. The words vital or essential may be more accurate to describe his role, as the coaching staff now sees him as the piece that provides the team with organization and stability, helping to close the gaps between the lines that Real Madrid has struggled with at times this season.

The coaching staff considers Aurélien Tchouaméni a key player in their project, especially with José Mourinho's rotation policy due to a congested fixture schedule. However, when the time for big matches comes, there will only be 11 players on the pitch, and Tchouaméni currently holds the position of a central player in the coach's plans.

In recent days, José Mourinho has been careful not to fully reveal his plans regarding the player's participation, after he confirmed in the press conference before the match against Elche: "In Elche, he will get more minutes, without a doubt. He is improving every time, becoming stronger and more confident. He will definitely play, but I won't specify the number of minutes."

The expectations within Valdebebas indicated that Aurélien Tchouaméni would participate for over 30 minutes, given the improvement in his physical condition and the absence of pain in his thigh muscle, while maintaining a cautious approach to avoid any setbacks by gradually increasing competitive loads. However, José Mourinho made a different decision, starting Tchouaméni in midfield alongside Federico Valverde, allowing the French player to participate for much longer than anticipated.

Statistically, Aurélien Tchouaméni was the third most successful passer for Real Madrid during the match, completing 40 passes, behind Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konaté. He also recorded an extremely high passing accuracy of 95.2%, with only Arda Güler surpassing him among midfielders and forwards, achieving 96.2%.

Despite not yet regaining full competitive match rhythm, the player's appearance against Elche showed many positive indicators, especially defensively, as he managed to make four ball recoveries and was one of the few players who maintained a degree of balance in the face of the team's declining performance during periods of the match.

Real Madrid's match against Elche was difficult for the team, as they performed well in the first half before losing much of their focus and competitiveness later on. However, Aurélien Tchouaméni was one of the standout positive points in the team's performance, confirming that his return came at an important time for Mourinho.

Attention now turns to the Madrid derby, where Tchouaméni has a strong chance of starting against Atlético at the Metropolitano Stadium. However, the final decision will depend on the assessment of his physical condition after playing 86 minutes against Elche, especially with only four days of rest.

If he continues to provide the same positive indicators, Tchouaméni is a candidate to become one of Real Madrid's most important keys in the upcoming phase, starting with the derby, then with the French national team, leading to his expected role as a link between the lines and a player who provides the team with greater organization and control.