Xabi Alonso Hints at Gonzalo Garcia-Kylian Mbappe Decision for Club World Cup Semifinal | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso hinted that Kylian Mbappé will get the nod to start the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain, but only if he can prove in time that he is healthy.

After missing Real Madrid’s entire group stage following hospitalization with acute gastroenteritis, Mbappé made his comeback as a substitute in the round of 16 win over Juventus.

But there remained doubts about his match fitness going into the quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund and the Frenchman again had to settle for coming off the bench.

However, it was Mbappé’s overhead kick in stoppage time that decided it for Los Blancos and pushed them into the final four—reigning European champions PSG lie in wait after overcoming their own quarterfinal against Bayern Munich.

After a record-breaking 44 goals and counting in his debut year with Real Madrid, Mbappé undoubtedly belongs in the strongest lineup. Alonso admitted after the Dortmund match that his superstar goalscorer is still not at full fitness, but medical staff will try to get him there this week.

Gonzalo García has continued scoring goals. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

The alternative if Mbappé isn’t available to start is Gonzalo García, who has stepped in fantastically this summer—the 21-year-old made it four Club World Cup goals against Dortmund.

“He’s taken advantage of his opportunity again,” Alonso said of García. “He’s scored 25 goals for Castilla. He’s where he belongs. We’re happy with him.

“Mbappé is still not in perfect shape. He’s not at 100%. Now we have three days for him to fully recover for the PSG game,” the coach added.

García’s impact has been so good that Real Madrid are reported to have scrapped the idea of recruiting a new backup striker. Osasuna’s late-blooming Ante Budimir had been one potential target, with the idea of replicating the success that Joselu had during 2023–24. But García could now fill that role instead and save transfer budget to invest elsewhere in the squad.