Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is set to return to action tomorrow, as Los Blancos visit Athletic Club in the first of five straight games on the road for the Spanish and European champions.

Where will Tchouaméni play for Madrid?

Tchouaméni has missed Madrid’s last four matches with an ankle injury, but rejoined training on Monday and is in the club’s squad for the LaLiga trip to Bilbao. “He’s looking really good‚” Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters today. “He’s trained well and recovered well. He’s fit to play from the off.”

It remains unclear whether Tchouaméni will go straight back into Madrid’s line-up at San Mamés, and in what position Ancelotti plans to use him.

After center-back Éder Militão suffered a torn ACL early last month, Tchouaméni had initially been expected to play as a makeshift defender on his return from injury. However, youth product Raúl Asencio has performed well in central defence in recent weeks - and with Eduardo Camavinga now in Madrid’s sick bay, Tchouaméni may be more urgently required in midfield.

“Aurélien has shown how useful he can be defensively, both as a center-back and as a holding midfielder,” Ancelotti said today. “He’s a very important player for us, because he also gives us height on set pieces. That’s an important part of the game and we’ve struggled with it.”

Until he damaged his ankle in Madrid’s Champions League defeat to AC Milan, Tchouaméni had been virtually ever-present this term. The 24-year-old had only sat out one game - September’s LaLiga win at Real Sociedad, which he missed with a foot problem. Of the 15 appearances he has made this season, 14 have been as a starter.

Who is injured for Real Madrid?

While Tchouaméni has returned to fitness, Madrid head to the Basque Country with an injury list that features not only Militão and Camavinga (hamstring), but also Vinícius Júnior (hamstring), David Alaba (ACL) and Dani Carvajal (ACL).