“He wasn't doing well in the last 2 days” - Xabi Alonso delivers worrying update on Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid star misses Al-Hilal clash

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has expressed doubt regarding Kylian Mbappe's availability after the striker missed the 1-1 FIFA Club World Cup draw with Al-Hilal at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday (June 18).

Los Blancos opened the scoring through Gonzalo Garcia in the 34th minute but were pegged back by Ruben Neves' penalty seven minutes later from the Saudi Pro League giants as a share of the spoils ensued.

Coming off a successful debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mbappe might not be available for Madrid's next game against Pachuca on Sunday (June 22) at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Kylian Mbappé? I don't know if he will be back for the next game," Alonso said (as per Madrid Xtra). "We'll see, he wasn't doing well in the last 2 days, he's sick."

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About the game itself, Alonso - who succeeded the legendary Carlo Ancelotti this off-season, added:

"I didn't like the first half. We were better in the 2nd half, with more quality, more balance and faster."

Admitting that his team played better after the break, the Spaniard said:

'2nd half was better. We lost the ball too easily during the first part. But this is a process. We have to look at the positives."

The new boss also took time out to praise club debutants Trent Alexander-Arnold and Hujisen:

"Trent and Huijsen? Congratulations for the debut. I'm happy about them. This is a special day for them, they'll be very important for us."

Alonso will seek his first competitive victory as the new Madrid boss as Los Blancos seek a record-extending sixth Club World Cup title.

How Kylian Mbappe fared for Real Madrid last season

Kylian Mbappe enjoyed a fine debut season for Real Madrid last campaign, bagging a rich haul of 43 goals - the most by a player in their first season for the club - and five assists in 56 games across competitions.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner netted 31 times in 34 games in La Liga, where Madrid were beaten to the title by their arch-rivals Barcelona, but Mbappe won the Pichichi award.

The Frenchman also scored in four other competitions, including once in the 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta and seven times in the UEFA Champions League, where Los Blancos lost 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

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Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav