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Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has provided a heartening update as he seeks to return from his injury setback.
Tchouameni, 23, has been a key first-team player for Carlo Ancelotti since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2022. The France international has bagged a goal and four assists in 64 games across competitions.
That includes a goal in 14 games - 13 in La Liga - across competitions before Tchouameni fractured his foot in October and was subsequently ruled out for two months. However, the Frenchman has said that he's back in training, saying (El Chiringuitotv via Madrid Zone):
“Tomorrow I’ll be back in training with the group.”
Despite the update, Tchouameni is unlikely to feature in Los Blancos' La Liga home game to Villarreal on Sunday (December 17).
Ancelotti's side are coming off a rousing 3-2 come-from-behind win at Union Berlin in their final UEFA Champions League game on Tuesday (December 12). Madrid fell behind to a Kevin Volland strike on the cusp of half-time.
Joselu turned the game on its head with an 11-minute second-half brace before Berlin equalised through Alex Krall five minutes from times. However, Dani Ceballos completed the comeback for Madrid four minutes later as Ancelotti's side went 6-0 in group-stage play.
"When we're in the lead, we have to finish it" - Real Madrid boss
Real Madrid produced a perfect group-stage campaign for the third time but left it late to confirm victory at Union Berlin on Saturday. It could have been a far more comfortable outing had Luka Modric not missed two penalties.
Nevertheless, Ancelotti is happy with his side's group-stage campaign but bemoaned the side squandering leads in their last two games. Madrid conceded a late equaliser in their 1-1 La Liga draw at Real Betis and squandered a 2-1 lead at Berlin before Ceballos' late winner.
"You can't fault our group stage," said Ancelotti (via Real Madrid's website). "We've done really well, we've played with consistency and the quality of play has improved compared to the start of the season.
"The only drawback in the last two games is that we didn't manage the lead well: not today with a 2-1 lead nor against Betis with a 1-0 lead. We have to maintain good possession when we're in the lead, but that's not enough: we have to finish it.”
Los Blancos have had perfect Champions League group-stage campaigns in 2011-12 and 2014-15 but lost in the semis on both occasions. They will hope to avoid that fate this time.
