Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso nonetheless can not say whether or not Kylian Mbappé will probably be accessible to play within the subsequent spherical of the Membership World Cup after lacking all three group video games.
Mbappé was hospitalised final week with acute gastroenteritis and has not performed a minute of the match up to now.
Regardless of being again in coaching, he was not even named as an alternative choice to Thursday’s 3-0 win in opposition to RB Salzburg.
“I do not wish to be optimistic and get forward of myself, however we’d like him as a result of he is a high participant, among the best on the earth. We hope he is again quickly,” Alonso mentioned when requested about Mbappé’s availability for the round-of-16 recreation in opposition to Juventus on Tuesday.
Mbappé is among the largest stars on the expanded Membership World Cup being staged in the USA and his absence has been a blow to a match FIFA president Gianni Infantino needs to turn into one of many largest occasions within the sport.
Infantino managed to get Lionel Messi into the match when Inter Miami was granted entry regardless of not profitable the MLS Cup and inspired groups to attempt to signal Cristiano Ronaldo throughout a specifically created switch window earlier than the primary recreation kicked off this month.
Mbappé, together with Messi and Erling Haaland, is among the high points of interest, however his headlines have been restricted to off-field points.
In addition to his sickness, he additionally made the information this week when it emerged he had filed a moral harassment case in opposition to former membership Paris Saint-Germain. He sad with the way in which he was handled by this 12 months’s Champions League winner when he was sidelined after his determination to not prolong his contract with the membership in 2023.
Mbappé can also be at odds with PSG, arguing he’s owed €55 million ($61m) in unpaid wages.
None of that is serving to Madrid’s bid to turn into the primary workforce to elevate the brand new Membership World Cup trophy.
The 26-year-old Mbappé was Madrid’s high scorer final season, with 43 objectives in 56 appearances.
He had been following particular medical remedy to get well from gastroenteritis, Madrid mentioned, however has missed two video games since being discharged from hospital.
“We’d like him and we wish him again as quickly as potential and in the very best situation,” Alonso mentioned.