Real Madrid are set to welcome Kylian Mbappe back into their matchday squad as they prepare to face Juventus in the Club World Cup last-16 tie on Tuesday.
The French superstar has missed Madrid’s last three games in the tournament due to a bout of stomach flu, which required a short hospital stay.
Now back in full training, Mbappe is expected to be available for selection off the bench, as head coach Xabi Alonso eases him back into action.
Alonso is likely to maintain the back-three setup that produced a strong display against Red Bull Salzburg in the previous round. Antonio Rudiger should retain his place despite being substituted in that match, while Aurelien Tchouameni is tipped to feature again as part of the defensive trio.
Eder Militao, who has recovered from a long-term knee injury, could make the bench, but several key players remain sidelined. Dani Carvajal, Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and new arrival Endrick are all unavailable due to injuries.
There are no new fitness concerns in the squad, meaning Alonso could stick with the same starting XI from the Salzburg match. In attack, Gonzalo Garcia—who has scored twice in three appearances during this tournament—is expected to partner Vinicius Junior once again.
In midfield, Turkish prodigy Arda Guler is in line for another start, joined by Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, with Fran Garcia and Trent Alexander-Arnold providing width.
Real Madrid predicted XI:
Courtois; Tchouameni, Rudiger, Huijsen; Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Guler, Valverde, F. Garcia; Vinicius Jr, Gonzalo Garcia
As Softfootball recently highlighted, the relief over Rudiger’s injury comes at a perfect time for Real Madrid as they gear up to face Juventus. With Mbappe back on the bench and the squad nearing full strength, Los Blancos are well-positioned to carry their momentum forward in the Club World Cup.
This combination of fitness and attacking options could prove decisive in their quest to advance further in the tournament.