Champions League round of 16: Will Kylian Mbappe be fit for Real Madrid's 2nd leg against Atletico Madrid?

Ahead of the second leg of Champions League round of 16 clash against Atletico Madrid, there is a concern in the Real Madrid camp as their star player Kylian Mbappe suffered a discomfort on his right ankle. Los Blancos are heading into the second leg of the round of 16 after securing 2-1 in the home leg against their La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid. 

However, Real Madrid faced a setback when Mbappe experienced discomfort in his right ankle and missed out the final training session. The French international's absence at the start of the Los Blancos’ final training session ahead of the second leg against Atletico Madrid has caused a stir in the camp, raising concerns over his participation in the crucial clash at Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday, March 12. 

When the alarm bell began for Real Madrid’s final training session, which was open to the media, Kylian Mbappe was not spotted with his teammates. However, the 25-year-old joined the squad after going through tailored training for 15 minutes inside facilities in Valdebebas. Kylian Mbappe suffered an injury to his ankle after he was knocked down by Rayo Vallecano defender Aridane during the La Liga match last weekend. 

Though Mbappe was visibly in pain, he netted an opening goal for the side in 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano. However, the 25-year-old’s performance began to wane due to the ankle pain and he was substituted in the 78th minute by manager Carlo Ancelotti. Since then, there was a panic in Real Madrid camp as Kylian Mbappe suffered an injury just a few days before the 2nd leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Atletico Madrid. 

Will Mbappe be fit for the clash against Atletico Madrid? 

As per the reports, Kylian Mbappe and the medical team travelled to Real Madrid Sports City in order to undergo tests to assess the extent of his ankle discomfort and determine his availability for the crucial second-leg clash against Atletico Madrid.

Mbappe is likely to be on the bench, but whether he will play or not against Atletico Madrid is uncertain as the club might not want to aggravate his ankle injury. However, the club is confident that the star striker will be available to play the away leg of the Champions League round of 16 if he is fit. At this moment, nothing is confirmed that Mbappe will start or feature in the match, as Real Madrid’s medical team will assess his condition before taking final decision on his participation in the second leg against Atletico Madrid. 

In the first leg of the Champions League against Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, Kylian Mbappe played the entire 90 minutes in Real Madrid’s 2-1 win. 

Who will step in if Kylian Mbappe is ruled out of the clash against Atletico Madrid? 

If Mbappe can’t play, all eyes will be on Brahim Díaz. The plan is to have Camavinga and Tchouameni control the midfield while supporting the attacking quartet of Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius, and Mbappé.

If one of them is missing, Brahim will step in as the fifth option. He was the star in the first match, scoring a great goal and making a big impact at the Bernabéu. Although he hasn’t been feeling his best due to a recent fever, he is now fit. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Díaz could play a key role in the game.

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