Aurelien Tchouameni called out by Rangers flop as Real Madrid star launches 'too many matches' gripe

Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni has declared France's friendly with Scotland a waste of time as he bemoaned playing too many games.

But he was quickly slapped down by former Rangers flop winger Jerome Rothen. Scotland face the French in a friendly international in Lille and face a tough task against the World Cup runners-up who qualified for Euro 2024 last week with a win in the Netherlands. But midfielder Tchouameni believes it's a game too far with the football calendar so congested.

He said: "We play far too many matches. It's no surprise to anyone that we get a lot of injuries when we have a schedule like this both for club and country. It's very rare these days when we only have one match in a week. The players should bang their fists on the table and tell the football authorities that there are too many games. Something has to be done. When it’s too much it becomes a problem."

But that's provoked an angry response from former Ibrox and PSG winger Rothen, who is now one of France's most outspoken TV critics, who had a disastrous six-month loan spell at Rangers in 2009. He said: "You want fewer matches? Then accept less money.

"It's exactly the same as when I was a player 20 years ago except they get paid an awful lot more money. We never complained. It's football.

"The problem is players today waste their energy on things away from the football pitches. That's why they are tired. Usually I defend the players, But here, I'm going to hit Aurelien Tchouameni. Just dedicate yourself to your job because you get very well paid for that. Be good on the pitch and prepare for games."