Xabi Alonso stated that Real Madrid will “evaluate the risk” of featuring Kylian Mbappé in the upcoming Supercopa final against Barcelona, as the forward is currently recuperating from a knee sprain.
Mbappé traveled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday to rejoin his teammates, after remaining in Madrid for continued recovery and missing Thursday’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Atletico Madrid.
The France international has missed Real Madrid’s first two games of 2026 due to an injury that has lingered for several weeks, despite having scored 29 goals in all competitions this season.
“He’s feeling much better,” Alonso commented during a Saturday press conference. “The initial prognosis suggested it would be very close for him to play against Atlético, so we opted not to rush him.
“But if we reach the final, we’ll evaluate how he feels. After today’s training, we’ll gather all the necessary information to determine if he’s fit to start or if he should play a reduced role.”
When asked about the potential for using a painkiller injection to allow Mbappé to participate in Sunday’s final, which holds significance for the first trophy of the Spanish season, Alonso responded:
“We need to weigh the risk. We understand what’s at stake, and we’ll take responsibility for our choices. We’re not acting recklessly… it’s a measured risk.”
Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory against Barcelona in the first Clásico of the season back in October, having faced defeat in all four meetings during 2024-25.
During Thursday’s semifinal, Real had to navigate with a makeshift defense as center-backs Antonio Rüdiger and Raúl Asencio both exited due to discomfort.
“The defense is improving,” Alonso noted. “We’ll have training later today, and then we’ll make a final call. Although we’re seeing some instability at the back, a few players are rising to the occasion. We’re managing it.”
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Vinícius Júnior has drawn attention this week following his confrontation with Atletico coach Diego Simeone during Thursday’s match.
The Brazil international has gone 16 matches without finding the back of the net.
“Every player is unique,” Alonso said when discussing how to support the young forward. “You need to be strategic. Vini is very emotional, and it’s important to provide him with the right support. His teammates and coaching staff are ensuring that he understands. He’ll find his best form again and will be pivotal for us.”