Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he could take a controlled risk with Kylian Mbappe’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona but would not be a «kamikaze».
French superstar Mbappe missed Thursday’s semi-final win over Atletico Madrid but flew to Saudi Arabia on Friday to join the squad early The classic in Jeddah.
Mbappe is recovering from a knee sprain he suffered in late December that was expected to take three weeks to heal.
Asked whether the forward, Madrid’s top scorer this season with 29 goals in all competitions, would be able to play after receiving painkilling injections, Alonso said Madrid would be cautious.
«It is a decision we have to make between the staff, the players and the doctors,» Alonso told a news conference.
«We have to measure the risk, know what moment we are in, what we are playing for, and then make the decisions we make. But we are not kamikaze when we make decisions. It is a controlled risk.»
Alonso explained that Mbappe was feeling a lot better after missing last weekend’s win over Real Betis in La Liga and the derby match against Atletico.
«He’s doing a lot better; he wouldn’t have been quite ready to face Atletico, and we decided not to accelerate (his return),» the coach said.
“We had in mind that if we reached the final, depending on how he felt, we could see him come here.
“If he trains today we will have all the information we need and we can see if he is ready to start or play a little less.”
Winning the Super Cup would be Alonso’s first success since joining Madrid last June and would ease the pressure on his shoulders.
The Spaniard looked close to the sack at the end of 2025 after poor form, but Madrid have won their last five games.
«Projects take time… we are evolving in terms of football, emotionally and team spirit,» Alonso said.
«We feel connected to the players. These types of matches can have a major impact on the rest of the season.»
Mbappe the ‘best’
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Mbappe is the man of the moment but backed his team to succeed despite his arrival in Saudi Arabia.
«Right now Mbappe is the best striker… he has scored a lot of goals and he is a world-class player, that’s what I can say,» Flick admitted.
However, the German coach was keen to point out that his side defeated Mbappe’s Madrid in all four meetings last season.
Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final last season and won both La Liga finals. Classics and the Copa del Rey final.
In the only meeting with Alonso’s side this season, Madrid secured a 2-1 win in the league.
«How many Classics have we played in the last year and a half? And how many have we won? We lost one,” Flick said.
“I know he is a fantastic player and for him with space behind the defense he is really great…
«We will make adjustments, as we always do, but it’s not about Mbappe specifically. It’s about Real Madrid. It’s about how we want to play and how we expect them to want to play.»
Published on January 10, 2026
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