Key Real Madrid midfielder ruled out of Champions League final

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed Aurelien Tchouameni will miss the Champions League final through injury.

Having already clinched the league title and the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid will have the opportunity to collect another piece of silverware in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1.

The record European champions will look to win the competition for the 15th time when they go head-to-head with Edin Terzic's side at Wembley.

However, if they are to lift the trophy, Real Madrid will have to do it without one of their key midfielders.

Tchouameni has missed three matches since suffering a stress fracture in his foot in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich.

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Ancelotti confirms Tchouameni absence

Ancelotti has now revealed that Tchouameni will not recover from the foot injury in time for the Champions League final.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's La Liga clash with Real Betis, Ancelotti said: "He is doing individual work, but he is not ready for the final. Let's see if he's ready for the Euros."

The 24-year-old has been a key figure in Real Madrid's European campaign, starting in five of the club's six knockout matches.

With Tchouameni set to miss out, Eduardo Camavinga is likely to be given the responsibility of protecting the Real Madrid backline.

Camavinga is expected to operate in midfield alongside Federico Valverde and the retiring Toni Kroos, while Jude Bellingham will continue to feature in an advanced role.

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Tchouameni facing Euro 2024 fitness battle

Having been ruled out of the Champions League final, Tchouameni now faces a race to prove his fitness ahead of Euro 2024.

France boss Didier Deschamps named Tchouameni in his squad earlier this month, but injured players can still be replaced before the start of the tournament.

When fit, Tchouameni is one of the first names on Deschamps's team sheet, and he will surely be given every chance to make his first European Championship appearance.

The Real Madrid midfielder started all seven matches in Qatar as France finished runners-up to Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.

Since making his international debut in September 2021, Tchouameni has gone on to make 31 appearances for his country, chipping in with three goals.