Real Madrid solves the Kylian Mbappé mystery, the derby squad list is now available
Real Madrid releases its squad list, and we now know if Mbappé will be able to play in the derby.
The hours leading up to the Champions League derby were marked by doubts surrounding Mbappé. The Frenchman trained alone on Tuesday, which raised concerns about his possible absence for the second leg of the round of 16.
To increase the suspense, Real Madrid delayed the release of the squad list, something they don’t usually do. But they’ve already solved the mystery, and Mbappé is indeed on the list to face Atlético. He has put his problems behind him and will at least be on the bench.
As we mentioned, Real Madrid didn’t release their squad for the derby until matchday. The reason was doubts about whether Mbappé would be able to play. Finally, the Frenchman will be there, and he can give Ancelotti and the Real Madrid fans a sigh of relief.
With Kylian now recovered from his physical issues and Bellingham back from suspension, everything indicates that Ancelotti will rely on his star starting XI. This means Fede Valverde will be on the right wing, and the question of a third midfielder will have to be resolved.
No big surprises for the Champions League match
Ancelotti had to draw up a squad list knowing he had several absences. Carvajal, Militao, Vallejo, and Ceballos will miss the derby due to injuries, which we already knew. But they are the only casualties, having recovered Bellingham, as we mentioned.
The biggest new additions to the squad are the presence of three young players, one for each line. Central defender Jacobo Ramón, midfielder Chema, and striker Gonzalo will sit on the Metropolitano bench while they await their opportunity.
It’s worth noting that Gonzalo was a key player in another derby this season, this time against Leganés in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. The youngster came on and scored the winning goal, preventing the game from going into extra time.
