EL CLASICO: Kylian Mbappe Ruled Out Of Barcelona Clash

Despite a race against time to regain fitness, Kylian Mbappe has been omitted from Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad for Sunday’s showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Federico Valverde also misses out following a training ground collision with Aurelien Tchouameni.

Real Madrid announced their squad list on Sunday for ‘El Clasico’ against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, with Kylian Mbappe the notable absentee. The striker has not recovered in time for the crucial trip to the Camp Nou.

Kylian Mbappe returned to Madrid last Sunday at the centre of a storm, following a controversial trip to Italythat had been supervised and approved by Real Madrid’s medical staff, but which was viewed from the outside as inappropriate. His aim on returning was to be fit for the ‘Clásico’, two weeks after it was announced that he had suffered an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg.

On Saturday, the Frenchman was only able to take part in part of the training session with his teammates, which was already a bad sign. On Sunday, the latest medical assessment strongly advised against him playing in the match, so the coaching staff decided to leave him out of a squad that is already missing as many as eight players. In addition to Mbappe, Valverde – due to the injury sustained in the clash with Tchouameni – Carvajal, Militao, Mendy, Arda Guler, Ceballos and Rodrygo are also absent.

On the other hand, Arbeloa has included Tchouameni in the squad, as the club settled the matter with a fine and did not impose any sporting suspension, and Thibaut Courtois returns to the squad. The Belgian has now recovered from his latest injury, which had kept him out of action since 17 March when he was injured against Manchester City, and he is likely to be Real Madrid’s starting goalkeeper in the ‘Clásico’.

Real Madrid squad to face Barcelona:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Lunin and Sergio Mestre.

Defenders: Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raul Asencio, Alvaro Carreras, Fran Garcia, Rudiger, Dean Huijsen and David Jimenez.

Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchouameni, Thiago, Cestero and Palacios.

Forwards: Vini Jr., Gonzalo, Brahim and Mastantuono.

besoccer.com