Nidhish Waghmare
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has been excluded from the squad for Thursday’s Club World Cup group-stage match against RB Salzburg, despite returning to training on Wednesday. The French forward had missed the team’s first two matches due to gastroenteritis, which required hospital treatment last week.
Although Mbappe was seen training at Madrid’s Florida base, manager Xabi Alonso confirmed that the 26-year-old is not yet match-fit and will be preserved for the knockout stages. “It was his first day back in boots… he prefers to rest and recover properly,” Alonso said.
Madrid Eye Top Spot in Group H Without Mbappe
Real Madrid currently lead Group H with four points and will face Salzburg at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. A win or draw will secure their place in the last 16, where they could face Manchester City or Juventus.
Mbappe has been in sensational form since joining from Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 43 goals in 56 appearances. His last outing was for France in a 2-0 win over Germany on June 8.
Squad Depth Tested as Madrid Push Forward
In Mbappe’s absence, Gonzalo García and Rodrygo have stepped up in attack. García scored in the 1-1 draw against Al Hilal, while Rodrygo is expected to feature prominently in the Salzburg clash.
Alonso emphasized that the team’s focus remains on winning and improving, regardless of who’s available: “The only decision is to finish first and give it your all. We’re going out to win,” he said
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