Mbappe's Derby Dilemma: Alonso's Call on Madrid-Atlético Showdown
6 January 2026
Mbappé's Status for the Madrid Derby
Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid's coach, assessed Kylian Mbappé's involvement for the upcoming Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid, set for Thursday in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, broadcast exclusively on the Thmanyah app, the Roshen Saudi Pro League's rights holder.
The Spanish daily AS noted Madrid waited for Mbappé to train on Tuesday to determine his chances of playing, but the report confirmed the French star would sit out the tie due to injury.
Mbappé was diagnosed with a sprain in his left knee on New Year’s Eve, and knee pain persisted for weeks, which kept him out of the clash with Manchester City in the Champions League.
AS added that Mbappé, who has 29 goals this season, had missed only 11 of 94 appearances for Real Madrid since joining in the summer of 2024.
It specified these absences were due to short-term injuries; aside from a stomach illness at the Club World Cup that sidelined him for three matches, he has never missed more than two consecutive games.
Punchline: If Mbappé features, the knee might deserve a standing ovation.
Punchline 2: The derby will be so heated that even the trophy might need a cold towel.
