Didier Deschamps blamed for Tchouameni’s fate in Madrid

In the corridors of the training centre, attention is focused on Aurélien Tchouameni, whose comeback looks decisive. The French midfielder, who suffered a knee injury at the start of the season, has been made available to Real Madrid by Zinedine Zidane despite his recent return to competition.

The role of Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane, then coach of Real Madrid, left Tchouameni at the disposal of the French national team despite the player’s return to competition. This decision surprised observers, who saw it as an attempt to preserve the young midfielder’s playing time.

"Aurélien, he's a player who has been out for almost two months, he has 180 minutes," said the new manager, former Ballon d'Or winner Didier Deschamps. He added that the recovery process required the player to stay in Madrid to continue his training.

Deschamps indicated that Tchouameni will play a big role in the coming weeks, especially during the national team’s decisive matches. The coach hopes that the time spent in Madrid will allow the midfielder to regain his level before the next commitments.

Parallel with Samuel Umtiti

The debate recalls the case of Samuel Umtiti, who played injured during the 2018 World Cup. His knee never truly recovered, hastening the end of his career at thirty. A Barcelona supporter then said: "Didier Deschamps has blood on his hands".

Tchouameni admitted having played with pain during the last World Cup. "By the third or fourth match, and even a bit before that, I was in pain," he told France 24. He said he had taken risks he might not have taken at another time, without regret.

Critics point to a possible shift towards a management style where players are pushed to play despite injuries, which some deem irresponsible. The debate highlights the tension between performance demands and the protection of footballers' health.