Mourinho on Tchouameni's France Omission: No Influence from Real Madrid

José Mourinho has drawn a clear line around Real Madrid’s role in Aurélien Tchouameni’s surprise absence from Zinedine Zidane’s first France squad, insisting the decision was struck directly between the midfielder and his new national team coach.

Zidane has left Tchouameni out of Les Bleus’ group for their upcoming four matches, a notable call given the player’s status but one rooted in fitness rather than form. The 24-year-old has been hampered by a persistent groin problem and has featured only three times for Real Madrid this season, with just a single start – a 3-2 defeat to Elche.

“It took me by surprise”

Speaking on Saturday ahead of the Madrid derby, Mourinho moved quickly to shut down any suggestion that Real Madrid had leaned on France to rest the midfielder.

“I had no influence on the decision. I didn't call Zidane and Zidane didn't call me. It took me by surprise,” he said, laying out the situation in blunt terms.

According to Mourinho, the conversation happened strictly between Zidane and Tchouameni. No club pressure. No behind-the-scenes lobbying. Just a player and a coach agreeing on what his body needs.

“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,” Mourinho explained.

A delayed pre-season, at last

That phrase – “the pre-season he couldn't do” – cuts to the heart of the issue. Tchouameni’s disrupted summer has left him short of the physical base Mourinho demands in midfield. The result has been limited minutes and a stop-start rhythm that has never really allowed him to hit his stride.

The Portuguese coach stressed that the midfielder “desperately” needs this window simply to catch up. No travel. No national team workload. Just time to rebuild his fitness properly.

From Madrid’s point of view, the outcome is ideal.

A “privilege” for Real Madrid

Mourinho did not hide that the agreement between Zidane and Tchouameni heavily favours the club.

“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,” he said. “Because after the derby, he will have his days off and will be able to come back stronger.”

The message from France is equally important: this is not a demotion. Zidane has reassured Tchouameni that he remains part of his long-term plans. The omission is a pause, not a break-up.

That clarity removes any lingering doubt about the midfielder’s international standing and allows him to focus fully on his recovery.

A rare window opens

Timing helps. Once the Madrid derby is out of the way on Sunday, Real Madrid do not play again until October 10, when they face Villarreal. Four days after that comes a Champions League meeting with Roma.

For a player managing a groin issue, that gap is gold. No frantic turnaround, no three-games-in-eight-days grind. Just a clean stretch to heal, train, and finally reach the physical level Mourinho has been waiting for.

If Tchouameni uses this break as planned, he will return to a squad that needs his energy and range in the heart of midfield. The question now is simple: can this carefully managed absence turn a stuttering start into the launch point of his season?