Mbappé a serious doubt for Real Madrid against Manchester City: will he play?

Against City, without defenders... and without Mbappé? Militão, Carvajal, Trent, Alaba and Mendy will not be there. The expected five. Nor will Huijsen or Camavinga.

They had few options, but now they are at zero on the eve of the match because they have not trained. The discomfort has not gone away and they will not feature. Valverde, Rüdiger and Bellingham will be available, although physically overloaded. And we arrive at the big question: Kylian.

What injury does Mbappé have? Will he play against Manchester City?

He is limited by a fracture in the ring finger of his hand. But he is also carrying discomfort in his left leg. “He is a serious doubt and if he plays, he will be very limited”, comes from within the camp. That is the X-ray of Madrid. Only four defenders and with their main striker diminished.

Seven absences, potentially eight. To welcome Guardiola and Haaland. A giant in form, with 20 goals in 20 matches. And against Goliath, with a depleted squad.

There was a reason for the earlier show of unity. A collective embrace. The players those available and the coaching staff. In the centre of pitches 1 and 2 at Ciudad Real Madrid. Emphasis on what both Xabi and Tchouameni had verbalised. “It is one team, we all go forward hand in hand”, said the coach.

“We are all united; if we lose 0–2 against Celta it is our fault, not the coach’s”, said the midfielder. And he added: “What is happening now cannot continue”. And to make sure it does not, that embrace. Although the real message will arrive tomorrow with the whistle. The first one at 3pm ET and, above all, the last one. That will be the real kilometre zero. We will see whether with Mbappé or without him.