Tchouaméni starts twice for Real Madrid but left out of Zidane's France squad

Aurélien Tchouaméni started in the Madrid derby on Sunday, his second consecutive appearance in Real Madrid’s starting lineup after his first start on Tuesday against Elche — despite being left out of Zinédine Zidane’s initial France squad for the next four matches.

The France manager justified the absence by citing the midfielder’s physical condition, having been sidelined for nearly two months over the summer. “Aurélien is a player who was stopped for nearly two months,” Zidane explained. “For his recovery process, it was preferable that he stay in Madrid and continue preparing.” However, his two consecutive starts for the club at least partially contradict this reasoning.

At Real Madrid, José Mourinho was keen to rule out any pressure being exerted on the French federation. “I had no influence in the decision. I didn’t call Zidane, Zidane didn’t call me. We had no contact, but they spoke and Zidane told him he was counting on him for the future,” the Portuguese coach said.

This last remark opens another interpretation: the non-call-up may not be purely sporting. The three-week international break could allow Tchouaméni to consolidate his physical condition without the constraints of an international schedule. The question remains whether Zidane would have applied the same treatment to a player higher in his hierarchy.