This Sunday, Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off in the Spanish Super Cup final, with both sides chasing the first trophy of 2026. All eyes are on Kylian Mbappe and his potential return to the squad, a topic Xabi Alonso addressed in the buildup to the match.
The Real Madrid coach held a press conference on Saturday and was asked about Mbappe’s fitness. The French forward missed Thursday’s semifinal but later traveled to rejoin the squad ahead of Sunday’s final. “He’s much better,” Alonso acknowledged, according to Marca.
“Against Atletico Madrid he wasn’t quite ready and we decided not to rush him, but with the idea that he could be available for the final. He flew yesterday and will train with the team today,” added the Real Madrid coach, though he stopped short of confirming Mbappe’s role against Barcelona. “We’ll evaluate it and decide whether he starts or plays fewer minutes.”
Alonso was then asked whether playing Mbappe just 12 days after suffering a knee injury would be too risky. “We’re not kamikazes when it comes to making decisions. It’s a controlled risk,” the Spanish coach explained. “It’s a decision we’ll make together with the player, the coaching staff, and the medical team. We have to measure the risk, the moment we’re in, and what’s at stake.”
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid.
How have Real Madrid performed without Mbappe this season?
With 29 goals and five assists in 24 appearances, there is no doubt that Kylian Mbappe has been Real Madrid’s most important player this season. That context explains the risky decision to have him travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona while accelerating his recovery from a knee injury.
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However, in the few matches Los Blancos have played without the French star this season, the results have not necessarily been poor. Mbappe has missed just three games during the current campaign, all due to injury.
The first came on December 10, when a left-hand injury ruled him out against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League. On that night, the English side earned a 2–1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The other two absences stemmed from the knee injury Mbappe suffered in late December. In La Liga, Real Madrid cruised to a 5–1 win over Real Betis, with Gonzalo Garcia stepping in as the center forward and scoring a hat trick. And, of course, the most recent example was Thursday’s narrow 2–1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals.
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Barcelona respect Mbappe
Amid speculation over whether Kylian Mbappe will feature for Real Madrid on Sunday, Hansi Flick was asked about the French star during his own press conference and did not hide his admiration. “He’s the best forward in the world right now. He’s a world-class player,” the Barcelona coach admitted.
