Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has this evening confirmed that a key member of his squad is set to sit out this weekend’s fast-approaching Madrid Derby.
The player in question? Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Real, of course, marked their return to action a short time ago.
In the club’s game in hand over the competition in the race for La Liga supremacy, Los Blancos made the trip to the Estadio Coliseum, for a meeting with Getafe.
And, when all was said and done, Ancelotti and co. battled their way back to the summit of the Spanish top-flight, courtesy of a Joselu-inspired double.
As alluded to above, though, an otherwise positive night’s work for Real was soured, considerably, by a pair of blows on the personnel front.
First, after picking up a knock on his thigh, Antonio Rüdiger failed to emerge from the dressing room for the 2nd-half.
Amid an ongoing injury crisis at the heart of the club’s backline, Aurélien Tchouaméni was in turn tasked with dropping back into a central-defensive role for the remainder of the clash.
As a result, it will come as a hammer blow for all associated with Los Merengues to hear that, amid fresh doubts over Rüdiger’s wellbeing, Tchouaméni will not be available for selection this weekend.
Speaking to the media post-match on Thursday, Carlo Ancelotti revealed that the French international had been shown a yellow card after the full-time whistle against Getafe.
This marked his 5th of the La Liga campaign, giving rise to a one-game suspension, which just so happens to line up with Sunday’s highly-anticipated Madrid Derby.
“Tchouaméni? He got a yellow card and will miss the derby,” Ancelotti confirmed.
Conor Laird | GSFN
