Real Madrid midfielder played with discomfort vs Stuttgart; generating doubts at club

Into his third season at Real Madrid, Aurelien Tchouameni has established himself as a permanent fixture at the base of the midfield when fit and available.

The 24-year-old, signed from AS Monaco in 2022 for a fee of €80 million plus add-ons, has largely delivered on expectations but there have been some missteps along the way as well, enough to create doubts about his standing within the club.

Tchouameni’s display vs Stuttgart raises doubts

Indeed, according to journalist Jorge C Picon, Tchouameni’s performance against VfB Stuttgart earlier this week in the UEFA Champions League has generated doubts within some people at Real Madrid over his lack of consistency.

The 24-year-old returned to action on Tuesday night after a short spell out on the sidelines due to an injury which forced him to drop out of the France squad during the last international break.

While Tchouameni did return, the report states that he was still dealing with some discomfort in his foot and was not at 100%.

It seemed to have an effect as Tchouameni was not nearly at his best against the Bundesliga club even though he showed fleeting glimpses of his quality.

At Valdebebas, however, the club is analysing why Tchouameni has not been able to maintain consistent performance.

There is some concern about the inconsistency when it comes to his ability with the ball at his feet while he also struggled to cover spaces defensively against Stuttgart.

While confidence in him has not waned, discussions among fans regarding his status as an indispensable player have reached certain circles within the club.

Ancelotti fully trusts Tchouameni

Fortunately for Tchouameni, the midfielder enjoys the full and complete faith of manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian tactician views the 24-year-old as irreplaceable and sees him as the best fit to anchor the midfield.

The Real Madrid boss has also praised Tchouameni’s adaptability to play as a centre-back in the past.