Al-Hilal

Real Madrid have suffered a major blow ahead of their opening game against Al-Hilal at the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday, June 19, with Kylian Mbappe’s availability a major doubt due to illness. The club mentioned that the Frenchman had been unwell, with newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso set to make a decision on his participation on the day of the match. “Kylian was a bit better this morning, but he was not fully fit, so we thought it would be best for him to skip training. Let’s see how it evolves, and we’ll make a last-minute decision,” Alonso told the media ahead of Madrid’s opening game. The striker seems to have quickly adapted to the demands at one of the most successful clubs in Europe and did not take long to find his scoring form. By the end of the season, Mbappe had recorded a total of 43 goals and five assists in the 56 appearances he made. However, the season ended up being one to forget, as his side failed to win any major honours. They were beaten by Barcelona in the La Liga title race and knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal. With Alonso brought in to help overturn their title-less run, he emphasised that the team’s defensive work rate was just as important-an area where Mbappe may have been lacking in terms of effort. “Defensive work is important. It’s one of the tasks we need to address in the short term, and in the long term, it will be decisive for our success,” he said. The club have already added two top talents to their squad, with former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold brought in to bolster the roster. Los Blancos will now look to begin their title charge with a commanding start and hope they can go all the way to secure their first major title in the Xabi Alonso era. They have been drawn in Group F alongside Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Mexico’s Pachuca, and Austria’s RB Salzburg. Published By: Amar Panicker Published On: Jun 18, 2025