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Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has not ruled out giving Kylian Mbappe a pain-killing injection ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Supercup final against Barcelona, with the French forward battling a knee injury that threatened to keep him out of the showpiece match in Jeddah.
Alonso Refuses to Rule Out Pain-Killing Injection for Mbappe Ahead of Barcelona Final
Mbappe has been managing knee pain since early December before twisting the joint during training, initially ruling him out of the Supercup entirely. However, the French forward flew out to join his teammates on Friday after showing significant improvement in his recovery. Alonso confirmed that Mbappe is responsible for more than half of Real Madrid’s goals this season, highlighting his importance to the team’s attacking threat.
When asked about the possibility of Mbappe playing through a pain-killing injection, Alonso adopted a cautious approach while keeping all options open. “We have to measure the risk. Know what’s at stake and take responsibility for the decisions. We’re not kamikazes when it comes to making decisions. It’s a controlled risk,” the Real Madrid manager explained during his pre-match press conference.
Alonso provided an update on Mbappe’s condition, revealing that the initial plan was for the forward to return against Atletico Madrid rather than risk him for the Supercup. “He’s much better,” Alonso remarked. “The initial idea was that he was just fit to play against Atlético, so we decided not to rush him, but if we reached the final, depending on how he felt, he would come. When he trains today, we’ll have all the information we need to assess him and see if he’s ready to start or play a little less.”
The Spanish Supercup final takes place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with Real Madrid currently lying four points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Some media reports suggest Alonso must secure a positive result to retain his position as manager, adding extra pressure to the encounter. The previous meeting between the two clubs saw Real Madrid win 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, though Alonso indicated he would not necessarily use the same tactical approach for Sunday’s final.
