WHAT HAPPENED?
The World Cup-winning Frenchman sat out all three of the Blancos’ group stage fixtures at a global gathering in the United States after being laid low with a serious case of acute gastroenteritis - with hospital treatment required at one stage.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The 26-year-old forward has, however, worked his way back to full health and is in contention for selection as La Liga giants Real seek to add another trophy to their stunning collection.
GettyWHAT ALONSO SAID
Madrid boss Xabi Alonso told reporters when asked for an update on Mbappe ahead of a last-16 encounter with Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami: “Kylian is doing well now and we are speaking every single day. We will talk to him in the morning to make the final decision. It's a big possibility that he makes his Club World Cup debut, though. I don't know how much, but it's a big possibility.”
Next Match
DID YOU KNOW?
Alonso is eager to have Mbappe at his disposal for the first time, with Real’s new boss aware of the pressure that he is working under when it comes to delivering results and winning silverware. He added: "Every single match is now all or nothing. It's a huge match and we have been prepping for the last few weeks to be ready. We are at the knockout stage now, last 16 against a top team like Juve, so we will have to have a very complete performance to go through.
“This match is important. It's a very different competition to those we normally play in, but Real Madrid is very demanding and you are expected to win. This is our third week together. I am pumped, very excited, but there are so many things that you have to manage - footballers, so many people, based on trust for the future.
“We are spending a lot of time together, so that's helping us speed up the process. So far it has been very challenging. With such an intense competition in a short time, to be able to build our principles, it's challenging. We are building connections in these early stages, but we are reaching a moment where we have to do it.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?
Mbappe hit 43 goals for Real across his debut campaign as a ‘Galactico’ in the Spanish capital. He helped them to UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup triumphs, but saw domestic honours slip through the Blancos’ grasp under former boss Carlo Ancelotti.