No Jude Bellingham, no Luka Modric, no problem: Real Madrid have kicked the 2025/26 season off with two wins and two clean sheets against Osasuna and Real Oviedo, and they will be looking to build on their momentum on Saturday as they take on Mallorca at home, and they’ll need Aurelien Tchouameni to be at his best in order to do so.
Tchouameni developed in Girondins de Bordeaux’s academy before making the move to Monaco in 2020, where he emerged as one of the finest young defensive midfielders in Europe. These performances earned the attention of Real Madrid, who he joined Real Madrid for an €80m fee, potentially rising to €100m. Tchouameni made a seamless transition from Ligue 1 to La Liga and became an instrumental figure under Carlo Ancelotti, whilst he also anchored the France midfield as Les Bleus came within inches of winning a second-straight World Cup.
Tchouameni continued his progression in 2023/24 and helped Los Blancos achieve their second league and Champions League double in three years, marking his presence in the centre of the pitch alongside Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde and providing the defensive blanket to enable Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior to bomb forward. Tchouameni didn’t just help to keep things flowing and drive from the defensive third into midfield, but he also provided an emergency option to bail out his defence and chip in with a vital intervention.
Boasting mental and physical fortitude, Tchouameni was always a step ahead of his opponent and was able to use his body to win the ball back cleanly before slipping it in for his teammate to have a go at. He ranked second in their squad for clearances per game (1.9) and interceptions per game (1.0) in LaLiga, whilst he led the team for interceptions per game (1.1) in the Champions League.
The stage looked set for Tchouameni to assert himself as one of the finest holding midfielders in the game. Instead, he took a step back in his development with a disappointing 2024/25 season at the team and individual level as Real Madrid failed to achieve any silverware whatsoever apart from the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the UEFA Supercup. Tchouameni was singled out for criticism due to his perceived sluggishness in possession or underwhelming end product or lackadaisical marking or lapses in concentration, with various Madridistas starting to wonder if maybe he wasn’t good enough – in fact, after their 5-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana Final, he was whistled in their next match against Celta Vigo before transforming them into cheers thanks to an impressive display in midfield.
Those critiques certainly didn’t matter to Ancelotti, who continued to show unbridled faith in him, both as a midfielder as well as a makeshift centre-back. Nor have they resonated with Xabi Alonso, who started the French midfielder in all six of Real’s matches at the FIFA Club World Cup, as well as Real’s first two matches of the new season. Tchouameni partnered Valverde and Arda Guler in midfield and impressed in their season opener against Osasuna, completing 39 out of 41 passes, winning 4 out of 6 duels, and making 2 interceptions in a 1-0 win. Whilst Alonso would make various changes to his line-up against Oviedo, swapping out Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militao, Brahim Diaz and Vinicius Junior for Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Franco Mastantuono and Rodrygo Goes, he persisted with the same midfield trio.
Once again, he held his own on both sides of the ball, completing 70 out of 75 passes (4 out of 5 long balls) and winning 6 out of 7 ground duels and 3 out of 4 aerial duels, as well as 5 interceptions and 3 tackles. Just a few months after being scapegoated for their malaise under Ancelotti, he’s reminding Los Blancos supporters why he has already amassed 148 appearances in 4 seasons for Real, and why, at just 25 years of age, he belongs in the conversation for the best defensive midfielders in the world.