Another meeting with Manchester City in the Champions League looms large for Real Madrid, who are sweating over the fitness of their leading goalscorer Kylian Mbappé.
After trips in and out of the treatment room over the last three months, the 27-year-old is officially sidelined with a knee sprain. Los Blancos failed to give a timeline for his recovery, only confirming that Mbappé would undergo a “conservative treatment” with the help of French specialists.
Álvaro Arbeloa provided a positive update on the superstar forward’s progress on Thursday. “Each day [Mbappé’s] getting better; it’s a process where we’re taking it day by day, observing his sensations, but it’s all good news as of today. He’s improving more and more.”
But the clock is ticking down to the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, a match the club is desperate to have Mbappé available for come Wednesday night.
Will Kylian Mbappe Play in the Champions League Round of 16?
Real Madrid have yet to confirm Mbappé’s status for their upcoming clash with City, but it is unlikely the France international recovers in time for the first leg, especially since he is still in his native country receiving treatment.
The 15-time European champions have made it very clear they are giving Mbappé this time to rest and recover so he can finally return to full strength, unlike when he was rushed back in December, January and February for marquee matches.
According to AS, it is not “impossible” for the former PSG standout to feature in the first leg, but the situation is “complicated.” The club has not officially ruled him out for Wednesday’s fixture, though it is preparing to play without its leading man up top.
It is much likelier that Mbappé returns for the second leg on Tuesday, March 17. That gives the forward an extra two weeks to rehab his knee ahead of the trip to the Etihad.
How Real Madrid Can Get Past Man City Without Kylian Mbappe
Potentially playing the first leg of the round of 16 without Mbappé puts Real Madrid at a severe disadvantage. The Frenchman leads the team in scoring this season with 38 goals to his name, and 13 of those came in the Champions League.
The Spanish giants must find a way to grind out a positive result when Man City come to the Bernabéu on Wednesday to keep them in the tie while Mbappé recovers. The pressure will fall on Vinicius Junior to carry the goalscoring load, but he will need help from his supporting cast.
In Los Blancos’ last four matches, the team has found the back of the net four times—and the Brazil international bagged three of those goals. Álvaro Arbeloa is getting virtually nothing from his other players in the final third, something that must change to get past Pep Guardiola’s men.
The manager needs to get Gonzalo García more involved or else Man City can simply devote their resources to locking down Vinicius Jr. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s service from the right flank will be the key to giving Gonzalo goalscoring opportunities, as well Arda Güler’s playmaking, which has left plenty to be desired as of late.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Will Kylian Mbappe Play for Real Madrid vs. Manchester City?.
