Real Madrid forward has been sidelined due to a case of acute gastroenteritis that saw him hospitalised
Real Madrid will be without Kylian Mbappe for their final FIFA Club World Cup group match against Red Bull Salzburg, with manager Xabi Alonso confirming the French forward is still recovering from illness.
Mbappe has been sidelined since being admitted to a Miami hospital last week with a case of acute gastroenteritis. While he returned to light training on Wednesday, Alonso said the 25-year-old is not yet ready to feature in a competitive match.
“It was his first day back in boots, his first day running a little, and he did well,” Alonso told reporters at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. “But he’s not fully recovered yet.
“We talked about it after training and he prefers to rest and recover properly for when we go through. And if we make it to the round of 16 he’ll be available, but he was still in the recovery process and wasn’t perfect for tomorrow.”
Mbappe has missed both of Madrid’s games so far, a 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal and a 3-1 win over Pachuca that Madrid secured mostly with 10 men. The forward’s absence hasn’t prevented the team from climbing to the top of Group H, level on four points with Salzburg but ahead on goal difference.
Alonso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti earlier this summer, said his team has clear priorities going into Thursday’s match.
“The first is to win and finish top of the group. The second is to continue improving as a team ahead of the knockout stage.”
