Jose Mourinho confirms he did not ask Zinedine Zidane to leave Aurelien Tchouameni out of the France squad
Mourinho denies involvement
Zidane decided to leave Tchouameni out of his first squad as the France manager for their upcoming four matches. The player has been struggling with a groin injury and has only made three appearances for Real Madrid this season, including just one start in a 3-2 defeat to Elche.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday ahead of the Madrid derby, Mourinho clarified the situation regarding his player. He made it clear that Real Madrid have not pressured France to omit the player from international duty.
Surprise for the Portuguese manager
Mourinho explained that the decision was made entirely between Zidane and Tchouameni without any external interference. The manager stated: "I had no influence on the decision. I didn't call Zidane and Zidane didn't call me. It took me by surprise. But they (Zidane and Tchouameni) discussed and agreed that the best thing for him was to use this break to do the pre-season he couldn't do."
The Portuguese coach highlighted that Tchouameni desperately needs this time to regain his full fitness, as his lack of a proper pre-season has heavily restricted his playing time.
A privilege for Real Madrid
Mourinho believes this omission is highly beneficial for Real Madrid, as it gives Tchouameni the chance to rest and recover properly without the physical demands of international fixtures.
Mourinho added: "The national team manager let him know that he was counting on him for the future and they agreed on this decision which, for us, is a privilege. Because after the derby, he will have his days off and will be able to come back stronger." This mutual understanding guarantees that Tchouameni will remain an important part of the national team setup moving forward.
What lies ahead for Tchouameni?
Following the Madrid derby on Sunday, Real Madrid have a substantial break before their next fixture. They will not play again until October 10 against Villarreal, which is followed by a Champions League clash against Roma four days later. This extended recovery window should allow Tchouameni to heal completely and finally establish himself as a regular starter for Mourinho.
