Real Madrid Reportedly Without 7 Key Stars Including Mbappe and Bellingham for Manchester UCL Clash
- Real Madrid will reportedly be without seven first-team stars, including Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, when they face Man City
- Mbappé is battling a knee problem while Bellingham is nursing a hamstring injury, leaving coach Arbeloa with limited attacking options
- Despite the long injury list, captain Federico Valverde insists Los Blancos will fight for victory
Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid are facing a major selection headache ahead of their crucial Champions League encounter with Manchester City, with several key stars ruled out for the first leg in Madrid.
The two European giants are set to meet once again in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League, continuing a fierce rivalry that has seen them collide repeatedly in recent seasons.
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However, Madrid’s preparations have been complicated by a growing injury list, forcing coach Alvaro Arbeloa to rethink his plans.
Madrid’s injury concerns centre around some of their biggest stars. French forward Kylian Mbappe has been sidelined with a knee problem and recently travelled to Paris to consult a specialist about the issue.
Although he has returned to the Spanish capital, the attacker missed Tuesday morning’s training session with the squad.
There remains some optimism that Mbappe could recover in time for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next week, but his participation in the opening clash appears unlikely.
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England midfielder Jude Bellingham is also struggling with a hamstring injury and did not train with the group.
Early indications suggest he may miss both legs against City, with a potential comeback targeted for the upcoming league fixture against Atlético Madrid later this month.
Despite these setbacks, Arbeloa insisted his team will not approach the contest with any sense of inferiority, emphasising that Real Madrid’s winning mentality remains unchanged regardless of who is available.
7 Real Madrid players ruled out
Meanwhile, according to The Sun, Madrid will have to cope without seven senior players for the clash against City. The players are listed below.
- Kylian Mbappe
- Jude Bellingham
- Rodrygo
- Álvaro Carreras
- David Alaba
- Éder Militão
- Dani Ceballos
Rodrygo’s absence is particularly significant after the Brazilian forward recently underwent surgery to repair a serious knee ligament injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the year.
Carreras has also joined the injury list, while experienced defenders Alaba and Militão remain unavailable as they continue their recovery programmes. Midfielder Ceballos is another missing option for Arbeloa.
As a matter of fact, none of the sidelined players trained with the squad at Madrid’s Valdebebas training base on Tuesday, March 10, although Mbappe carried out individual exercises as part of his rehabilitation.
In the meantime, team captain Federico Valverde recently boosted morale by scoring a dramatic late winner against Celta Vigo in La Liga.
However, the Uruguayan acknowledged that his side must produce an almost flawless performance if they are to overcome City across the two legs, as Real Madrid's official website featured.
According to Valverde, Madrid must be both physically strong and mentally sharp to secure a positive result in the first meeting before travelling to Manchester for the decisive return fixture.
Semenyo backed to shine against Real Madrid
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Antoine Semenyo has been called upon to deliver a standout performance for Manchester City against Real Madrid in their crucial Champions League clash.
The Ghanaian forward is expected to lead City’s attack and make a decisive impact as Pep Guardiola’s side aim to overcome Madrid in the Spanish capital.
Source: YEN.com.gh
