Real Madrid had been quite secretive about Kylian Mbappé’s injury. Meanwhile, however, it is at least clear that he will be on the plane to Qatar.
Real Madrid have three matches left to play before the turn of the year, as the Whites have a title to play for next Wednesday. The Intercontinental Cup could soon be going to the back of the cabinet, but more likely to the back of the cupboard.
The game against the winner of the Saturday clash (6pm) between Pachuca (Mexico) and Al-Ahly (Egypt) is apparently important enough for Real not to want to do without Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman had to be substituted in the Champions League game in Bergamo (3-2) in the 36th minute due to injury, after scoring the opening goal for Real.
A first vague diagnosis was announced on Thursday. Mbappé had suffered a “left thigh injury”, with more Real did not come out. Carlo Ancelotti was more informative a day later. For the upcoming city derby at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, Mbappé will not be available, but probably for the game next week. The Frenchman’s injury is “not too serious. He will travel to Qatar because we believe he can recover from his injury.”
Mbappé is not lacking in commitment. The 25-year-old was not nominated for France in the last two international breaks, so, unlike almost every of his teammates, he has had enough time to recover. “It’s hard to say why these injuries happen. In the last few games, he’s stayed here, he’s rested, he’s worked and you could see it because his performance has improved a lot,” said Ancelotti.
Endrick is not an option for the starting lineup
At Rayo, Real will likely rely on a double lead with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in Mbappé’s absence. Endrick, on the other hand, does not seem to be an option at the moment. The young Brazilian scored both in his first league game against Real Valladolid (3-0) and in his first appearance in the premier class against Stuttgart (3-1), but not since. In the last games, he has either not played at all or only for a few minutes.
“When I say he has to work, it’s not a criticism, because he’s doing well,” Ancelotti explained the 18-year-old’s situation. “He’s very young, he’s coming to Real Madrid, which has the best players in the world, and we have to be patient.”