Tchouaméni: “Playing as part of a double pivot or on my own is the same to me”

Aurélien Tchouaméni spoke in a player press conference on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s Club World Cup final against Al Hilal. The Frenchman explained how important it is for the team to follow up last year’s Champions League with this trophy, stating: “Real Madrid have an obligation to win every title and we’ll work hard to win tomorrow. This is an important tournament for the club to complete the success of last season. It’s a special moment and nice challenge.”

Tchouaméni on his position

The midfielder was asked about his position in the team and whether he’d prefer to play as part of a double pivot. To that, he said: “It’s true that at Monaco and in the national team I’ve played as part of a double pivot, but you need to be able to perform in many different contexts. For me, it’s same playing with another holding midfielder or playing alone. It obviously changes things tactically, but for me it’s the same no matter which way we play.”

Tchouaméni on his trip to Paris

During his injury layoff, Tchouaméni made headlines because he attended an NBA game in Paris while his teammates were competing in the Copa del Rey. Apologising for that once more, he said: “That was a mistake, but I am young. I am sure nothing like that will happen again.”

Tchouaméni on the racism suffered by Vinícius

Discussing Vinícius and the repeated racism his teammate has suffered this season, Tchouaméni said: “The problem is with society. There should be zero tolerance with racism, whether it’s with Vinícius who is black or whether it’s with anyone who is whatever colour. LaLiga have taken steps and I hope it can be totally eradicated.”