Tuesday, April 23`, 2025
Year : 2, Issue: 34
AFP: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said striker Kylian Mbappe is poised to return from injury to face rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.
Mbappe missed Madrid’s win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in La Liga and will not be available for the visit to face Getafe on Wednesday.
The French superstar was substituted with an ankle problem during Madrid’s Champions League elimination by Arsenal last week, but along with compatriot Ferland Mendy, should be fit for the Clasico.
Without Mbappe, their top scorer this season with 33 goals, and using an extra midfielder, Madrid were more solid defensively against Athletic.
“I think the problems we have had this season have been quite evident,” said Ancelotti. “We have changed the way we play a bit because we have players with different characteristics.
“We’ve found it difficult to find this balance, and I hope we can find it in the run-in, because we’ve got a lot on the line… in the games that are left, if we don’t have it, it will be hard to win.”
