Tchouaméni and Mbappé train normally before the Clásico.
Álvaro Arbeloa will have to field a starting XI heavily impacted by absences against Barcelona. The Real Madrid coach faces his first Clásico amid internal turmoil and a squad riddled with injuries. Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Güler, and Fede Valverde are all unavailable due to injury, while Ceballos is expected to be left out of the squad for technical reasons. The good news for the white-clad manager is the recovery of Thibaut Courtois.
Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid player in action during the La Liga match against Betis. / AFP7 via Europa Press
Regarding Kylian Mbappé, the forward will return to the squad after missing the match against Espanyol, but his place in the starting lineup is not confirmed. On Saturday, during the pre-match training session, the Frenchman could only complete part of the session with the group, as reported by Real Madrid on their website. The club has always maintained optimism about the No. 10 and his chances of playing in El Clásico. After undergoing tests on Thursday, the attacker trained with his teammates again, but he has not yet managed to finish all the exercises. Everything points to him being included in the squad and sitting on the bench, but his potential playing time will depend on his physical condition and how the match against Barcelona unfolds.
Mbappé is experiencing his toughest moments at Real Madrid. / Dennis Agyeman / AFP7 / Europa Press
Mbappé has been the focus of criticism in recent weeks. Only the recent incident between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Fede Valverde has diverted attention from the France international. His trip during his days off while the team was in crisis, and his arrival just 10 minutes before the match against Espanyol, caused shock among Madrid fans. A significant portion of supporters even launched a ‘Mbappé Out’ campaign, promoting a platform that has already gathered 70 million signatures calling for the departure of the player who should be the team’s star.
Kylian Mbappé during a Real Madrid training session. / AFP7 via Europa Press
If he does participate in El Clásico, whether as a starter or from the bench, his performance will be scrutinized closely. It’s worth noting that, aside from the match against Alavés at the Santiago Bernabéu, the forward has not celebrated a victory with his team since March 22, in the derby against Atlético (where he only played half an hour).
The Clásico will be a test for Mbappé both in terms of commitment and sporting performance. The Santiago Bernabéu is already prepared to voice its opinion on everything surrounding the Frenchman next week, during the match against Real Oviedo.