Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is starting to lose confidence in Aurelien Tchouameni, reports Manu de Juan through AS.
The French midfielder, who was brought in to replace the legendary Casemiro, was seen as a vital addition to the squad last season. He impressed with his versatility, especially his ability to play both in midfield and at centre-back, which made him a key asset in Ancelotti’s system.
However, this season has not been kind to the Frenchman. He has failed to replicate his strong form from the previous year and his performances have raised concerns.
The recent match against AC Milan highlighted many of his struggles. Though the entire defence was under pressure, Tchouameni was directly responsible for at least two of Milan’s goals.
In particular, he made a costly mistake in the lead-up to the second goal, where a loose pass from him led to the opposition’s counter-attack, and he failed to track the run of the Milan player who scored.
As a result, Ancelotti made the decision to take him off at half-time, a move that was met with a chorus of boos from the home fans.
What is more concerning is that this was not an isolated incident. Throughout the season, Tchouameni has been unable to make a significant impact, and his lack of defensive contributions is glaring.
To put things in perspective in four UEFA Champions League matches, he has made just 10 recoveries, which is a poor return for a player in his position.
Given these underwhelming performances, it is clear why Ancelotti is losing patience. With Tchouameni’s place in the team under threat, it would not be surprising if he is left out of the starting lineup for Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Osasuna.
The midfielder’s struggles this season are becoming harder to ignore, and a period on the bench could be the wake-up call he needs to get back to his best.