Real Madrid have made Kylian Mbappe injury decision for Spanish Supercup | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso may well have his future on the line in Saudi Arabia as Los Blancos travel for the Spanish Supercup, but he will be without his best performer for the entirety of the competition. The French forward went down with a knee injury in training last week, and will not return until next week at the earliest.

Mbappe is responsible for more than half of Real Madrid’s goals this season, with 29 goals and five assists to his name. He has been struggling with a twisted knee since Los Blancos’ 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in early December though, and after aggravating it in training on the 30th of December, was initially ruled out for two to three weeks.

Mbappe will not travel for Spanish Supercup

Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Alonso has said that there is no certainty on when Mbappe will be back, and that they hope to have him as soon as possible amid some reporting that he could be back in time for the final on Sunday night, should Real Madrid get there. However Diario AS report that Real Madrid have decided Mbappe will not travel, and instead will remain in Spain to focus on his recovery.

They are keen to get Mbappe back to his best, and given the knee injury has been bothering him for several weeks, they are keen not to run any risks.

Gonzalo Garcia impact

It is not good news for Alonso, especially with AS noting that the Supercup is ‘more important than some say’ with regard to his future. The positive is that Gonzalo Garcia has reacted to the opportunity afforded by Mbappe’s absence. His hat-trick against Real Betis marked his first big performance since the Club World Cup, and the presence of a natural number nine saw a more rounded Real Madrid. Naturally, Mbappe alongside Thibaut Courtois is arguably the biggest absence they could have, but Garcia has shown that there is a route to success with him in the side.