The first France squad of Zinédine Zidane’s tenure has arrived with one notable omission in midfield: Aurélien Tchouaméni has been left in Madrid to complete his return to fitness.
Tchouaméni left out of Zidane’s first France squad
The 26-year-old Real Madrid midfielder was not included among the six midfield players selected by the new France coach, meaning he will not take part in the opening international gathering of Zidane’s reign.
Zidane explained that the decision was based on Tchouaméni’s recent lay-off and the need to manage his recovery carefully.
“Aurélien was out for almost two months and has only played 180 minutes,” Zidane said. “For his recovery process, it was better for him to stay in Madrid and continue his preparation.”
A gradual return at Real Madrid
- Tchouaméni returned to action with an 11-minute substitute appearance against Inter.
- He then played 21 minutes from the bench against Rayo Vallecano.
- On Tuesday, he made his first start of the comeback against Elche and was substituted in the 86th minute.
Despite that progression, Zidane has opted against bringing the former Monaco player straight back into the international set-up.
November target for the former vice-captain
Tchouaméni was vice-captain of France during Didier Deschamps’ time in charge and played every minute of the most recent World Cup semi-final against Spain. His absence is therefore a significant early selection call for Zidane.
Provided his fitness continues to improve at Real Madrid, the midfielder will have to wait until November for his next opportunity to return to the France squad.
