Amid praise for his impressive performances under Xabi Alonso, Aurélien Tchouaméni admitted he elevated his game much before the new boss arrived at Real Madrid.
Los Blancos have enjoyed a near-perfect start to the 2025–26 season, winning all three of their opening La Liga matches and conceding just one goal along the way. Alonso is slowly infusing a new identity to Real Madrid, one that puts a lot of pressure on Tchouaméni.
The Frenchman has played every second of the Spanish giants’ 2025–26 campaign so far, putting together masterful performances now that he is back in his natural position in the midfield. Many have lauded Alonso for Tchouaméni’s strong start to the season, but the midfielder was hesitant to give his new boss all the credit.
“I’m happy with [Alonso], to be honest,” Tchouaméni said in an interview with MARCA. “It’s true that things are going well for me with the coach and that he has new ideas for me and the team, but I think things have gone much better for me since the start of 2025.
“I was already feeling good under Carlo [Ancelotti]. In any case, the idea now is to focus on each game, help my teammates and continue to grow.”
Tchouaméni was whistled off the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu last winter before completely turning his game around. Although Real Madrid failed to win a major trophy in Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge, the blame did not fall on the France international, who was converted into an emergency center back for the latter half of the season.
The 25-year-old slowly became one of Los Blancos’ most versatile players and had the trust of Ancelotti until the boss’s final day in the Spanish capital.
“There are differences between Carlo and Xabi,” Tchouaméni said. “It’s normal. Each one has his own idea and style, but they are two great coaches.”
Tchouaméni now gets to bring the defensive skills he honed under Ancelotti to the midfield, where he serves as the shield for Alonso’s new-look backline. The Frenchman misplaced just two passes against Osasuna, had the most tackles against Real Oviedo and won the most duels against Mallorca.
With Tchouaméni playing his best and Arda Güler excelling in his new role, Real Madrid’s midfield is entering a new era under the leadership of a World Cup-winning midfielder.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘To Be Honest’—Aurelien Tchouameni Questions Xabi Alonso’s Influence at Real Madrid.