Aurélien Tchouaméni and his stunning turnaround at Real Madrid since Xabi Alonso's arrival

Xabi Alonso's new setup has revived Aurélien Tchouaméni's carrer at Real Madrid. (Image credits - ShutterStock)

During what was one of the worst seasons that the mighty Galacticos experienced, many players faced major criticism for their subpar performances and inconsistency, which even escalated to fans booing a few players.

Amidst this, one player in particular appeared to be targeted the most, Aurélien Tchouaméni, who was even dropped from the starting XI by former manager Carlo Ancelotti, restricting his gametime to a great extent.

However, the young Frenchman has appeared to have revived his career at Real Madrid, and the credit for it has to be given to the arrival of the Los Blancos' new manager, Xabi Alonso, whose new tactical setup has favoured Tchouaméni.

The 25-year-old has become a fundamental player in Alonso’s new system at Madrid, with the lone defensive midfielder also transitioning as a third centre-back during counter-attacking and defensive situations.

Tchouaméni has also managed to clear all the mist surrounding his future with the Galácticos after re-establishing himself as a regular starter and a pivotal player under Alonso.

It is fair to say that the 25-year-old became a "new revelation" under Alonso's management as he surprised everyone with his stunning performances at the FIFA Club World Cup, being one of Real Madrid's best players in the competition.

How has Xabi Alonso helped Aurélien Tchouaméni to revive his career at Real Madrid?

  

Aurélien Tchouaméni appears to be the only natural fit in Xabi Alonso's high-intensity system, and it seems to be "untouchable" at the moment. Xabi Alonso has seen some valuable attributes in the young midfielder, which is why he is being given such importance recently.

Based on our observations from the Club World Cup, Real Madrid’s complete defensive security rested upon Tchouaméni's shoulders due to his new role, which often saw him position himself between the two centre-backs, Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rudiger, to provide the much-needed support to the backline during defensive situations.

Tchouaméni played in all six matches for Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup and averaged 89 minutes per game, a number that justifies his importance in the team dynamics. Needless to say, his growth will be an interesting trajectory to follow for the next season.