Kylian Mbappe: Carlo Ancelotti ‘optimistic’ Real Madrid star will be fit for Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca
Updated 17/12/2024 at 22:48 GMT
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is "optimistic" that Kylian Mbappe will be available for the club's 2024 Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca on Wednesday after suffering an injury against Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League. It was feared that Mbappe would miss 10 days of action, which would have ruled the superstar out of the game. Ancelotti said that training "all went well".
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Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful that superstar striker Kylian Mbappe will be fit to face Pachuca in Wednesday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
The Frenchman suffered a thigh injury in Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League victory against Atalanta and was forced off in the first half, shortly after giving his side the lead.
Mbappe joined the rest of the travelling Real Madrid squad who arrived in Doha, Qatar on Monday and Ancelotti said things are looking positive for the forward.
"Mbappe's situation is simple," Ancelotti revealed on Tuesday. "He trained well yesterday, he felt good. He did sprints. It all went well.
"Training today is important. If he feels good, without risks, talking to him and the doctors, he'll play.
"If there's the slightest risk, obviously, he won't. The feeling yesterday was very good. We're optimistic in that sense."
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Mbappe has struggled to hit the ground running with Los Blancos following his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, though his record does not suggest that.
So far this season, he has netted 12 times in 22 games across all competitions and is already just one strike away from double digits in his debut La Liga campaign.
And that is already having suffered two muscle injuries, with Ancelotti adamant that the best is yet to come from the striker.
"Mbappe is a fantastic player and honestly I don't think he's reached his level [yet]," Ancelotti said.
"In the last games he was at a good level, but we're really happy to have him here."
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Mbappe is one of a handful of big-name stars to have been sidelined for Real Madrid this term, including Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham and Eder Militao.
However, Ancelotti - recently named The Best FIFA Manager of 2024 - refused to open up on plans for the upcoming January transfer window.
"Not yet, no," Ancelotti said when asked if a decision had been made as to whether a new defender would be targeted next month.
"For now we want to get to Christmas, we'll try to win this game, beat Sevilla [on Sunday], and then rest. And in January we'll see."
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