Real Madrid's international break lasted barely a day before it turned sour. Aurelien Tchouameni has been released from the France squad and sent back to his club after the right adductor problem that wrecked his start to the season flared up again at Clairefontaine.
The French Football Federation confirmed on Tuesday evening that the 26-year-old could not finish training, having felt the discomfort since arriving at the national team base. After France's medical staff spoke directly with Real Madrid's doctors, the decision was taken — in agreement with the player — to release him, and no replacement will be called up, as Sports Mole reported from the federation's statement.
A problem Madrid thought they had closed
This is not a new injury, and that is precisely why it worries Madrid. Tchouameni carried the same adductor issue through last summer's World Cup, missed the start of this season because of it and did not make his first start of the campaign until the 3-2 win over Elche on September 15.
He also missed the last international window, which means he has still not played a single minute under Zinedine Zidane for France — and, on this evidence, will not do so until March at the earliest. Last time this injury struck, he was out for around 30 days, as Sports Illustrated noted in its breakdown of the blow.
Further tests in Madrid will now set the real timeline. France's statement offered no recovery date, and the club will assess the muscle before putting any estimate on his return.
France move on without their anchor
Tchouameni is the third player to walk out of this France camp in a matter of hours, after Pierre Kalulu and Marcus Thuram also withdrew. Unlike those two cases, Zidane has chosen not to summon a replacement for his midfield anchor.
That leaves Eduardo Camavinga, Warren Zaire-Emery, Adrien Rabiot and Lucas Da Cunha as the central midfield options for a side top of their Nations League group on 10 points from four games. France travel to face Italy in Milan on Thursday before hosting Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday, still needing points to lock down a quarter-final place.
What it means for Madrid's title chase
For Jose Mourinho, the timing could hardly be worse. Madrid have won eight straight games in all competitions, are perfect in the Champions League league phase and used Saturday's 3-0 win at Valencia to close the gap on Barcelona to three points at the top of La Liga.
Tchouameni has been central to that run. Since Mourinho moved Federico Valverde out to the right flank and broke up the double pivot, the Frenchman has been the fixed point of the midfield — the player who lets everyone else play. Without him, the burden falls on Bernardo Silva and Camavinga to protect a defence that has only just found its rhythm.
If the month-long absence from the summer repeats itself, the damage is measurable: Celta Vigo at home on November 21, PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on November 24, Alaves, a trip to Real Sociedad and a visit to Athletic Club would all come and go without him, and the December 9 Champions League trip to Arsenal would be in doubt too.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Madrid can survive one game without Tchouameni — they proved that in September. What they cannot survive is a recurring adductor becoming the story of their season. The scans in Madrid this week matter more than either of France's games, because a title race three points deep is exactly where you need your anchor fit. Madrid fans — if the month timeline repeats, how many points does this injury cost? Have your say in the comments.
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