Edu Aguirre reveals Xabi Alonso's decision on Mbappé and Gonzalo: 'Almost certain'

Real Madrid is rushing to finish preparations for the match against Borussia Dortmund. The Club World Cup quarterfinals are a new challenge for the squad coached by Xabi Alonso, not only because of the difficulty posed by the opponent itself. It is also because of the decisions leading up to that match.

Given these circumstances, the first team's coaching staff must set up the starting eleven for a truly important match. There is a lot at stake, Xabi Alonso doesn't want to take any risks:  He would only count on the best footballers available to him. Therefore, players who have just recovered from injury would have few opportunities to be in the starting line-up.

One of the most scrutinized players in this regard is Kylian Mbappé. The Bondy forward has returned to training after overcoming acute gastroenteritis that even led him to be hospitalized for several days in a hospital in Florida. His recovery for the match against Juventus in the round of 16 was not enough for Xabi Alonso to decide to grant him an immediate starting spot.

Now it's a different situation. Real Madrid's number 9 has made progress in training sessions with his teammates, improving both his numbers and his overall feelings in every way. Edu Aguirre seems to have information about Xabi Alonso's plans, regarding Kylian Mbappé, for that important match at MetLife Stadium.

In the process of returning fully

The journalist from "El Chiringuito de Jugones" has revealed that "Mbappé is at 100% and that he's almost certain to play against Dortmund". It remains to be seen if he will start, since the competition in that regard is much more than tough. While the status and track record of the Bondy forward are practically unmatched, right now Gonzalo García is one of the most talked-about men in the squad.

That's why Edu Aguirre points out that Kylian Mbappé is "almost certain to play against Dortmund"... without assuring that the French footballer will be in the starting line-up for Xabi Alonso. What does seem certain is that the Tolosa coach wants to count on one of his best footballing assets as soon as possible, on a regular basis to win this and many other tournaments.

The gradual recovery of Kylian Mbappé represents a new source of debate and conflict for Xabi Alonso. The Madrid coach until now had no doubts about his attacking setup: Gonzalo García and Vinícius were the undisputed starters. Now Kylian Mbappé is back, eager to get minutes and regain the leading role he had until several months ago.

Everything suggests that he will do so gradually, replacing Gonzalo García in that ideal starting eleven left by the Tolosa coach in the first matches of the Club World Cup. Real Madrid's list of forwards is more versatile than ever, a circumstance that Xabi Alonso must take full advantage of.