Alonso insists Real Madrid will avoid reckless approach to Mbappe fitness
Xabi Alonso, the Real Madrid manager, stated that he might carefully assess the gamble on Kylian Mbappe's condition before facing Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, though he emphasised they would steer clear of any foolhardy tactics.
The French forward, who sat out the semi final triumph against Atletico Madrid on Thursday, travelled to Saudi Arabia on Friday to link up with the team ahead of the Clasico in Jeddah.
Mbappe has been nursing a knee injury from late December, originally projected to sideline him for three weeks.
When questioned about possibly using the striker, Real Madrid's leading scorer this term with 29 goals in various competitions, via injections to manage discomfort, Alonso stressed a cautious stance.
"This choice involves input from the coaching team, the players, and the medical staff," Alonso remarked during a press briefing.
"We must evaluate the potential dangers, consider our current situation, the stakes involved, and proceed accordingly. However, our choices are never impulsive. It remains a measured gamble."
Alonso noted that Mbappe's progress had improved significantly since bypassing the recent La Liga victory over Real Betis and the derby against Atletico.
"He is recovering well, and he was not fully prepared for the Atletico encounter, so we opted against rushing his comeback," the manager explained.
"Our plan was that should we reach the final, depending on his status, we could evaluate his participation here.
"Following his training session today, we will gather all necessary details and determine if he is fit to begin or perhaps feature for a shorter duration."
Securing the Super Cup would mark Alonso's initial trophy since his arrival at Madrid in June last year, alleviating some of the mounting expectations upon him.
The Spanish coach faced potential dismissal by late 2025 amid a slump in results, yet Madrid have triumphed in their most recent five outings.
"Initiatives require patience... we are advancing in our style of play, mentality, and overall team morale," Alonso commented.
"We sense a strong bond with the squad. Such pivotal games can significantly influence the remainder of the campaign."
Mbappe hailed as top talent
Hansi Flick, Barcelona's head coach, described Mbappe as the standout forward currently, yet expressed confidence in his team's ability to prevail even with the player's presence in Saudi Arabia.
"Right now, Mbappe stands as the premier attacker... he has netted numerous goals, and he is undoubtedly a player of the highest calibre, that is my view," Flick conceded.
Nonetheless, the German tactician highlighted that in the previous campaign, his Barcelona outfit defeated Mbappe's Madrid in every one of their four encounters.
Barca dominated with a 5-2 win in last term's Spanish Super Cup decider, along with successes in both La Liga Clasicos and the Copa del Rey showpiece.
This season, in their sole clash against Alonso's group, Madrid claimed a 2-1 victory in the league.
"Consider the number of Clasicos we have contested over the past year and a half? And the count of our victories? We only dropped one," Flick pointed out.
"I recognise his exceptional quality, and when he exploits gaps behind the backline, he excels immensely...
"We shall make adjustments as we typically do, but this is not solely centred on Mbappe, rather on Real Madrid as a unit, our intended approach, and our anticipation of their strategy."