73 Days, Just 122 Minutes! Tchouameni Aims for 30+ Minutes Tonight, Derby Start in Doubt

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has been sidelined for 73 days due to injury, during which period he has logged only 122 minutes of playing time. The injury traced back to thigh discomfort suffered before the World Cup in a match against Paraguay, which worsened during a game for Spain, causing him to miss the remainder of the World Cup and the start of the new season. His comeback has been meticulously graded: 11 minutes versus Inter Milan → 21 minutes versus Rayo Vallecano → an expected 30+ minutes tonight against Elche. The coaching staff's goal: a first-team start in the derby against Atletico Madrid this weekend. Mourinho said Tchouameni is feeling increasingly better, but his minutes have not yet been confirmed. He will then travel to the France national team squad, marking Zidane's first squad call-up as France's new head coach. Team principle: exercise patience and never take risks.