Will Kylian Mbappe play in Real Madrid vs Dortmund in FIFA Club World Cup?
Mbappe made his tournament debut on Tuesday as Real Madrid edged Juventus 1-0 to reach the quarterfinals after missing all of the group stage.
'He's getting better. He's been improving over the last three days,' Alonso told reporters at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday. 'Tomorrow morning we will be deciding if he will be part of the initial 11.'
Mbappe came off the bench as a substitute in the second half of the Spanish side's 1-0 win over Juventus in Miami on Tuesday, earning wild applause in a scene that underscored his global appeal at the U.S.-hosted tournament.
Mbappe was briefly hospitalised early in the tournament, isolated from his teammates as he recovered.
Alonso's team has leaned on Gonzalo Garcia to deputise in his absence, as the 21-year-old academy graduate has recorded three goals - including Tuesday's winner - and an assist in a breakout performance at the competition.
'I think (Garcia and Mbappe) could complement each other and if it's something that is required, it's not something I'm going to turn a blind eye to,' said Alonso.
Madrid faces a Dortmund team in solid form on Saturday, after the German side held off a stirring second-half fightback from Monterrey 2-1 this week to book its spot in the final eight.
'Dortmund is a very good team. As soon as (coach Niko Kovac) was at the helm, they were growing and developing and on the rise,' said Alonso. 'We are facing a tough opponent... It's gonna be tight tomorrow.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Liverpool Resume Training For First Time Since Diogo Jota's Tragic Death
Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident on Thursday. The incident occurred around 12:30 am local time in the Spanish province of Zamora. According to Spanish police, Jota's car veered off the road while attempting to overtake another vehicle. A tyre blowout caused the car to lose control and catch fire. A memorial site has been established at Liverpool's iconic Anfield stadium, where fans and former players have recently left hundreds of bouquets of flowers, shirts, scarves, and pictures. Their funeral was held on Saturday in the Portuguese town of Gondoma, at the Matriz de Gondomar church, located 33 kilometres from Porto. Some players were initially expected to report back to the club on Friday, but the tragic news prompted them to delay their plans. The Liverpool squad, led by Virgil Van Dijk and head coach Arne Slot, attended Jota's funeral to pay their respects. Who Is Diogo Jota? Jota, 28, was a significant player for both Portugal and Liverpool. Since joining the club in 2020 from Premier League side Wolves, he contributed to winning major trophies including the Premier League, FA Cup, and two EFL Cups. During his tenure at Anfield, he scored 65 goals in 182 matches and was highly regarded for his work ethic and ability to perform in critical moments. For Portugal, Jota earned 49 caps and scored 14 goals. He was part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and again in 2025, when Portugal defeated Spain in the final. The forward had celebrated that victory with his teammates just weeks ago. When Will Liverpool Play Next? Liverpool's first pre-season friendly is set for Sunday against Championship side Preston, but ticket sales for this match have been suspended pending a final decision on whether it will proceed.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Virat Kohli backs Novak Djokovic to secure eighth Wimbledon title, reveals bond with Serbian tennis icon
Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli expressed his support for Novak Djokovic to win his eighth Wimbledon title, hoping for a final showdown against Carlos Alcaraz. Kohli, who was present at Djokovic's round of 16 match, revealed he has been in touch with the tennis star. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli backed 24-time Grand Slam champion and 100-time ATP Tour-level titlist Novak Djokovic to secure his record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title and go one-on-one with rising Spanish star and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the title played Alex de Minaur in the round of 16, securing his berth in the final eight with 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a contest that lasted three hours and nineteen minutes. Virat, along with his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, were in attendance for the clash. Notable sporting icons like England cricket legends Joe Root and James Anderson, and Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer, a record eight-time Wimbledon champion, were also in to Star Sports , Virat revealed exchanging text messages with Novak."Look, I have been in touch with Novak for a while now. We've exchanged some messages. He's been incredibly gracious and kind to stay in touch. So, I would say I want Novak and Carlos to be in the final, and ideally for Novak to win this one-because that would be a tremendous achievement for him at this stage of his career." he said."And, you know, in the comparison or conversation about being the greatest of all time, he would be right up there with anyone else, if not number one-with the maximum number of Grand Slam titles . He deserves it. Given the amount of hard work he's put in, I really hope he plays Carlos in the final and wins," he he wins, this will be Novak's first Grand Slam title since 2023 US Open title win and overall his also stormed into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2025 after his 22nd consecutive victory. The Spanish tennis sensation came from behind for his 18th straight win at the Championships, defeating 14th seed Andrey Rublev 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 on will take on Britain's Cameron Norrie in his quarterfinal match on Tuesday, while Djokovic will battle Italy's Flavio Cobolli on Virat was a part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) side, shining with 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71 with eight fifties. He was the third-highest run-getter in the May, Virat announced a shock Test retirement ahead of India's tour to England. In his Test career, the 36-year-old made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and a best score of 254*. He is India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs). Under Virat's test captaincy in 68 Tests, India won 40, lost just 17 and 11 ended in a draw. His win percentage was 58.82, making him India's most successful Test captain.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Kylian Mbappe drops moral harassment case against PSG and seeks reconciliation
Kylian Mbappe has officially withdrawn his civil case against his former club Paris Saint-Germain, where he had accused the club of moral harassment during his final season in France. The decision was confirmed by his lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, on Monday, July 8.'We are withdrawing our civil action,' Sur told AFP, just days before Mbappe's current club, Real Madrid, is set to face PSG in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World dispute between Mbappe and PSG had been simmering since his high-profile move to Real Madrid ahead of the 2024–25 season. Central to the fallout was Mbappe's claim that he was subjected to 'lofting' — a practice in French football where players are isolated from the main group for disciplinary, administrative or sporting reasons. Mbappe had alleged that after he informed PSG of his decision not to renew his contract, he was effectively frozen out. He was excluded from the club's pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea and made to train with a separate group of players. PSG also attempted to engineer a record-breaking transfer to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, reportedly worth 300 million euros, which the forward situation deteriorated further when Mbapp was booed by home fans at the Parc des Princes in his final appearance for the club. He was even left out of the squad for PSG's Ligue 1 opener but returned to action later following talks with club joining Real Madrid, Mbapp has enjoyed a stellar season, scoring 31 goals in La Liga to win the Golden Boot and tallying 44 goals and five assists across all PSG have flourished under manager Luis Enrique. The Parisian club made history by claiming their first UEFA Champions League title, completing a continental quadruple with wins in the domestic league, the French Cup, and the French Super Cup — becoming the first French side to achieve the Club World Cup semifinal now sets the stage for a dramatic reunion between Mbappe and his former employers.- EndsMust Watch
