Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid is a doubt for their opening Club World Cup match against Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal on Wednesday, having missed Tuesday’s training session due to illness.
The club has reported that Mbappe has been experiencing a fever, and the newly-appointed manager, Xabi Alonso, who will make his managerial debut in Wednesday’s encounter, mentioned that a decision regarding Mbappe’s availability would be made the following morning.
“Kylian was feeling a bit better this morning, but he wasn’t at full fitness, so we decided it was best for him to sit out training,” Alonso said at a press conference ahead of the match at the Hard Rock Stadium.
“We’ll see how things progress, and then we will make a decision at the last minute,” he added.
Mbappe’s potential absence forces Alonso into a selection conundrum, as he stands as the only recognised centre forward in the squad.
Brazilian teenager Endrick, who could have been a useful alternative, was omitted from the travelling squad due to a muscle injury in his leg sustained during Real’s LaLiga match against Sevilla last month.
This season, Mbappe has been pivotal for Real Madrid, having netted 31 goals in LaLiga since his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Regardless of Mbappe’s uncertain status, Alonso emphasised that his team must work together cohesively.
“Defensive effort is crucial. It’s one of the key areas we need to address immediately, and in the long run, it will be vital for our success,” the Spaniard stated.
Real Madrid enters the tournament as one of the frontrunners, having asserted their dominance in European football over the past decade by winning five of the last ten Champions League titles.
Al Hilal earned their spot in the competition after clinching the AFC Champions League in 2021 and will be looking to exploit any vulnerabilities in Madrid’s squad.
Real and Al Hilal have been drawn in Group F alongside Mexican side Pachuca and Austria’s RB Salzburg.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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