Real Madrid might be without star forward Kylian Mbappé in their Club World Cup opener, as the Frenchman is battling a fever. Head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed they’ll wait until the last moment before making a final decision on his availability.
The Spanish giants are set to kick off their Club World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal on Wednesday at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Mbappé, however, missed training the day before the match due to illness.
Speaking at a press conference, Alonso shared a cautious but hopeful update:
“Kylian felt slightly better this morning,” he said. “But he wasn’t fully fit. So we felt it was better for him to skip training today. Let’s see how things progress — we’ll decide at the last moment.”
Mbappé has had an outstanding first season with Real Madrid, scoring a record 43 goals across all competitions and winning the European Golden Shoe. His absence would be a huge blow for the team, especially given the attacking challenges they already face.
To make matters more complicated for Alonso, Mbappé’s likely backup Endrick is also unavailable due to injury. That may force a tactical reshuffle if Mbappé isn’t cleared to play.
The injury list doesn’t stop there. Key players like Antonio Rüdiger, Eduardo Camavinga, Éder Militão, and Dani Carvajal are also sidelined. Alonso provided updates on their conditions as well:
“They’re all at different stages of recovery. Rüdiger gave everything last season and is recovering well. He’ll be the first to return, although I’m still unsure whether to include him in the squad yet,” Alonso said.
“We’re being a bit more cautious with the others. Camavinga is progressing faster than we expected. Carvajal and Militão will need more time.”
Between injuries and inconsistent form, Real Madrid have faced plenty of challenges in defense this season. In response, they recently brought in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen — both of whom could make their debuts in the opener.
Real Madrid’s match against Al Hilal kicks off at 1:00 AM Bangladesh time on Thursday.
