Kylian Mbappé has not yet made his Club World Cup debut with Real Madrid due to health problems that led to him being hospitalized. The Frenchman has returned to the gym, and his appearance has surprised and concerned Madrid fans. The player has lost weight and is still recovering slowly, so he remains doubtful for Friday’s match. The origin of his illness appears to have been outside the United States.
The origin of the gastroenteritis
Mbappé is slowly recovering, but his return to the gym has been an important step. The virus that has kept him out of action for more than 10 days has been serious, and the medical services believe they know when he caught it. Calculating the incubation period and the time he has been ill, it is believed that he may have contracted it in Madrid before traveling on June 14. The virus was serious enough to send Mbappé to the emergency room, where he was treated for acute gastroenteritis. The medical team was concerned about the player’s weakness.
Physical change
The viral process suffered by the Frenchman has left him considerably weakened. Images of Mbappé on Monday in the gym have caused concern as he looks thinner, and Madrid’s medical services estimate that he has lost between four and five kilos, a significant drop for an elite athlete. The striker has been unwell since the team landed in the United States and has not trained with the group since then, missing the two matches the team has played against Al Hilal and Pachuca.
Mbappé and Salzburg
Although his return to the gym has been great news, the truth is that he is still not training on the pitch in Palm Beach. He is recovering from weakness and it is still unclear whether he will be available on Friday against Salzburg. He has not been officially ruled out, but he would need to show a substantial improvement in the next 24 hours.
On Tuesday, he stayed in the gym again on a day set aside for injured players, as the team had the day off. A decision on whether he will be included in the squad will be made later today after a meeting between Xabi and the doctors.
Gonzalo covering the front
Gonzalo’s great performance in attack means that Kylian Mbappé’s return is not urgent. The young academy player was chosen by Xabi Alonso to cover for the Frenchman’s absence. The Club World Cup is a test for the young striker, who wants to prove that he can be the first-team number 9, and so far he is delivering.
In the first game against Al Hilal, he scored the team’s only goal and also had several chances to increase their lead. Against Pachuca last Sunday, he was again in the starting line-up and was very active, playing a key role in two of the team’s goals. In one of them, he started the move and in the other, he provided the assist for Arda Güler, who sent the ball into the back of the net.