Kylian Mbappé will not play for Real Madrid against Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Mbappé is suffering from a knee ligament injury and is still recovering. Despite positive developments, he has not yet made a full recovery.
Mbappé did not participate in Real Madrid’s final training session before Tuesday’s match against City, ending his hopes of playing in the highly anticipated clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa told the media on Tuesday, “Mbappé is in much better shape. As I said, it’s about monitoring his progress day by day, but this week has been very positive. He’s improving a lot, so we expect him to return soon.”
According to the newspaper AS, Mbappé is working tirelessly to be fit for the second leg, scheduled for next Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite his best efforts, his return on schedule is uncertain, and his participation in matches may be postponed until after the international break. This is in line with the medical staff’s strict policy of not allowing the French international to play again until he is 100% recovered.
Real Madrid will face Manchester City tomorrow with seven players unavailable: Kylian Mbappé, John Bellingham, Rodrygo, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Álvaro Carreras, and Dani Ceballos.
