Claude Makelele has used an interview with DAZN to back Aurélien Tchouaméni as Real Madrid’s most reliable performer of the past season, defend Kylian Mbappé from his critics, and identify the specific midfield profile Los Blancos are still lacking under José Mourinho.
Tchouaméni singled out for consistency
The former Madrid holding midfielder was unambiguous in his assessment of Tchouaméni’s campaign, telling DAZN: “Tchouameni was the only consistent player from beginning to end.” It is a notable endorsement given the scrutiny Tchouaméni has faced at various points since his arrival from Monaco, including the well-publicised friction with Fede Valverde earlier this year.
Makelele’s backing also carries weight in the context of Madrid’s transfer planning. Reports from earlier in the summer indicated Tchouaméni’s future was part of broader squad restructuring discussions, with Tchouaméni and Camavinga named in connection with potential movement as the club pursued Michael Olise. Makelele’s public endorsement complicates any case for moving him on.
Mourinho backed – but warned he needs the tools
Makelele expressed confidence in Mourinho’s return to the Bernabéu while making clear that elite coaching alone will not be sufficient. “Mourinho isn’t stupid, he’s a good coach, one of the best coaches,” he told DAZN. “He knows he’s going to need a strong team to win La Liga.”
That caveat feeds directly into what Makelele regards as Madrid’s most pressing structural problem: the absence of a midfielder who can carry the ball through pressure and connect quickly with the front line. “At Real Madrid, there isn’t that type of midfielder who carries the ball and breaks lines,” he said. “They need a player like that, who can deliver quick passes to the attackers, to himself, to Vinicius Junior, and to the players up front.” It is the kind of profile Mourinho himself prioritised during his first spell at Madrid, when Ángel Di María and Mesut Özil provided exactly that vertical link between midfield and attack.
The Mbappé question
Makelele also pushed back against the criticism that has surrounded Mbappé during his time in the Spanish capital. “I don’t agree with the Mbappé criticism,” he said. “A lot of people are criticizing Mbappé. He’s for the team, but he’s a striker. A striker always wants to score.”
He went further, suggesting the problem is partly structural rather than motivational. “Mbappé often comes to collect the ball in midfield, and who’s going to be up front? When he’s up front, he’s scoring.” The implication is that the same line-breaking midfielder Makelele is calling for would also keep Mbappé higher and more dangerous – a two-birds argument that frames the midfield recruitment question as central to everything Madrid want to achieve next season under Mourinho’s rebuilt squad.
