Kylian Mbappé Expected to Start for Real Madrid Against Atlético Despite Fitness Concerns
Real Madrid are planning to include Kylian Mbappé in their starting lineup for Wednesday's crucial Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Atlético Madrid, despite ongoing concerns about the forward's fitness, sources have informed ESPN.
The French superstar missed Tuesday's team training session after sustaining a knock during Real Madrid's 2-1 LaLiga victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. According to ESPN sources, Mbappé was scheduled to undergo a late fitness test on Wednesday to determine whether he would be available for the high-stakes derby.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly remained optimistic about Mbappé's participation from the start, and the player has since been officially named in Madrid's matchday squad. In a positive development, Mbappé shared an image of himself training at Madrid's Valdebebas training facility on Instagram Wednesday afternoon, further suggesting his readiness for the match.
The reigning Spanish champions currently hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg played at the Bernabéu last week. In that match, Rodrygo gave Madrid an early lead before Julián Álvarez equalized for Atlético, with Brahim Díaz ultimately scoring the winner for the home side.
Mbappé's performance in the first leg drew some criticism, which his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni described as "incredible" during Tuesday's pre-match comments. "It's incredible talking about 'difficult days' for him, when he hasn't scored in two games," Tchouameni said. "Kylian doesn't need advice, he's scored a lot of goals and he will score a lot of goals."
Despite recent scrutiny, Mbappé has already delivered memorable moments in this season's Champions League campaign, most notably scoring a hat trick against Manchester City at the Bernabéu during the playoff stage for the knockout phase. The France international also found the net in Sunday's victory over Rayo, bringing his impressive tally to 29 goals across all competitions this season.
