Arbeloa 'confident' Mbappe fit for Man City trip in Champions League

Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa stated on Friday that he feels assured Kylian Mbappe will be ready to play against Manchester City in the return fixture of their Champions League round of sixteen match.

"He is improving each day," Arbeloa mentioned during a media briefing. "He will miss tomorrow's game (Saturday's La Liga clash with Elche), yet I am sure he will join the journey to Manchester." 

Mbappe has been out due to a knee problem along with various other important team members, yet Real dominated City 3-0 in the initial match at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, courtesy of a treble from Federico Valverde.

City will welcome them for the return leg next Tuesday and face the possibility of elimination from Europe by Madrid for the third consecutive year.

The French striker Mbappe, affected by a twist in his left knee from late December, has been absent since pulling out of the team for the Champions League knockout play-off second leg versus Benfica on February 25.

Mbappe has netted 38 goals across 33 outings for his side this campaign. 

His anticipated comeback for Madrid precedes the international window, during which France will take on Brazil and Colombia in warm-up internationals before the World Cup, held in the United States.