Real Madrid confirms concerning injury before Champions League final

Aurelien Tchouameni is at risk of missing the Champions League final after Real Madrid confirmed he picked up an injury during Wednesday’s semi-final second leg victory over Bayern Munich.

Tchouameni was withdrawn in the 70th minute of the game and it was not immediately clear that he was injured, with the Frenchman later returning to the field to celebrate when Madrid’s spot in the final was sealed.

Unfortunately, he now faces a race against time to recover ahead of the spectacle at Wembley Stadium on June 1 as Madrid have diagnosed Tchouameni with a stress fracture in his left foot.

L’Equipe note that this fracture is close to the site of the injury which kept him out for nearly two months towards the end of 2023, sparking immediate fears over his involvement in the Champions League final, which will be held in just over three weeks.

It is claimed that Tchouameni had been playing through pain for several weeks and Madrid staff, including manager Carlo Ancelotti, were well aware of his fitness struggle, although the report stresses that the midfielder wanted to continue playing and was not forced by his club.

Aside from the Champions League final, there are even concerns in France that Tchouameni’s involvement in this summer’s European Championships is under threat.

Manager Didier Deschamps will confirm his preliminary squad on May 16 and Tchouameni is expected to make the cut, but medical officials will monitor his fitness over the coming weeks before confirming the final squad, which does not need to be submitted until June 6.

France will, therefore, be able to see whether Tchouameni makes it back for the Champions League final. Reports suggest the plan in Madrid is for the 24-year-old to earn a spot on the bench against Dortmund.