Kylian Mbappe’s latest injury will keep him out for three weeks but a shock comeback against Barcelona is on the cards.
Published on January 10, 2026
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso says he can take controlled risks with Kylian Mbappe’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, but says there will be no “kamikaze”.
French superstar Mbappe Missed the semi-final A win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday but leaves for Saudi Arabia on Friday to join the squad ahead of the Clasico in Jeddah.
Recommended stories
3 List of itemsEnd of list
It’s Mbappe Recovery from a sprained knee He suffered a concussion in late December, which was expected to take three weeks to recover from.
Asked if the forward, Madrid’s top goalscorer with 29 strikes in all competitions this season, could play with painkiller injections, Alonso said Madrid would be cautious.
“It’s a decision we have to make between the staff, the players and the doctors,” Alonso told a news conference.
“We have to weigh the risks to know what moment we’re in, what we’re playing for, and then make the decisions we’re making. But when we make decisions, we’re not kamikaze. It’s a controlled risk.”
Alonso explained that Mbappe was feeling much better after missing last weekend’s La Liga win over Real Betis and the derby win against Atletico.
“He is doing very well, he would not have been fully ready to face Atletico and we decided not to speed up (his return),” the coach said.
“We had in mind that if we got to the finals, how he felt, we could see him coming here.
“When he trains today, we’ll have all the information we need and see if he’s ready to start or play a bit less.”
Winning the Super Cup would be Alonso’s first piece of silverware since joining Madrid last June and would ease the pressure on his shoulders.
The Spaniard looks close to the sack at the end of 2025 after poor form, but Madrid have won their last five matches.
“Projects take time … we are developing football-wise, emotionally, team spirit,” Alonso said.
“We feel connected to the players. These types of matches can have a big impact on the rest of the season.”