Coach Xabi Alonso says Real Madrid will not be ‘kamikaze’ with Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona.
REAL Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he could take a controlled risk with Kylian Mbappe’s fitness ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, but would not be “kamikaze”.
French superstar Mbappe missed the semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid but flew to Saudi Arabia to join the squad for Sunday’s Clasico in Jeddah.
Mbappe is recovering from a knee sprain suffered in late December, which was expected to take three weeks to heal.
ALSO READ: Real Madrid’s Mbappe fit for Super Cup final against Barcelona
Asked if the forward could play with pain-killing injections, Alonso said Madrid would be careful.
“It’s a decision that we have to take between the staff, the players and the doctors,” Alonso told a news conference.
“We have to measure the risk, to know the moment we’re in, what we’re playing for, and then take the decisions we take. But we are not kamikaze when we take decisions. It’s a controlled risk.”
Alonso explained that Mbappe was feeling much better after missing last weekend’s win over Real Betis and the derby against Atletico.
“He’s doing a lot better, he wouldn’t have been quite ready to face Atletico and we decided not to accelerate (his return),” said the coach.
“We had in mind that if we got to the final, according to how he felt, we could see about him coming here.”
Winning the Super Cup would be Alonso’s first piece of silverware since joining Madrid last June.
The Spaniard appeared close to the sack towards the end of 2025 after a poor run, but Madrid have won their last five matches.
“Projects take time… we’re evolving in terms of football, emotionally, the team’s spirit,” said Alonso.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Mbappe is the man of the moment but backed his team to succeed.
“At the moment Mbappe is the best striker… he’s scored many, many goals, and he’s a world-class player, that’s what I can say,” admitted Flick.
The German coach was keen to point out that his side beat Mbappe’s Madrid on all four occasions they met last season.
Barca thrashed them 5-2 in last season’s Spanish Super Cup final, as well as winning both La Liga Clasicos and the Copa del Rey final.
In their one meeting with Alonso’s side this season, Madrid secured a 2-1 league win.
“How many Clasicos have we played in the last year and a half? And how many did we win? We lost one,” said Flick.
“We will adapt something, like we always do, but it’s not especially about Mbappe, it’s about Real Madrid.” – AFP
