Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni has enough talent to ensure that he is never far off the starting line-up of any side, but currently he is getting more used to the bench at kick-off than the pitch.
Carlo Ancelotti elected to start El Clasico on the 19th of March with Eduardo Camavinga in the pivot role he would traditionally occupy himself. It was a sign that since coming back from injury Tchouameni has not picked up the rhythm he had at the start of the season. Camavinga on the other hand continues to take steps forward, usurping his compatriot.
As Diario AS point out, Tchouameni may well be falling down the pecking order for France too. Tchouameni played 76 minutes against the Netherlands last Friday, before being replaced by Camavinga. That change occurred from the start against Ireland on Tuesday, with Tchouameni replacing Adrien Rabiot in the 81st minute. However Camavinga was one of the big winners from the international break as a whole, described by L’Equipe as ‘an oasis in the desert’ against Ireland.
While the likelihood is that Tchouameni recovers his level at some point in the near future, coming into the crunch phase of the season it looks as if he will be rotation option. Ahead of El Clasico next week and the Champions League quarter-finals against Chelsea, one is clearly ahead in the pecking order.
