AS: Mbappe is expected to start in the weekend; They must win to stop the storm

Suddenly, Levante’s visit to the Bernabéu this Saturday is no longer a mere formality and instead becomes a snap judgment on Real Madrid’s turbulent start to 2026.

And where will Mbappé be? Most likely in the starting lineup. The Frenchman trained normally this Thursday at Madrid’s Valdebebas training centre after not travelling to Albacete due to a tactical decision, missing Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey debacle firsthand.

With tensions around the club threatening to reach boiling point, and barring any minor setback to his left knee in Friday’s training session, Arbeloa is expected to rely on Mbappé against Levante. The coach himself is under scrutiny after his squad selection for the match at the Belmonte, which left out several key players who were not injured. Alongside the French star, Bellingham, Rodrygo and Tchouameni were all absent.

For Mbappé, the situation is an added source of motivation. It is about stepping up as a leader at a moment of maximum pressure, with criticism intensifying around the squad, but also about rediscovering his scoring touch, which has stalled in recent weeks. So far in 2026, he has missed two matches because of that knee sprain, did not travel to Albacete and only played the final 15 minutes of the Spanish Super Cup final, without scoring.

Although he was not among those who travelled to the Belmonte, the standout news on Thursday was Rodrygo. The Brazilian completed an individual training session, as did Rüdiger, and the club expects both to rejoin the group for the final session ahead of the Levante match. Carvajal is also expected to be available. He came off the bench in Albacete and trained without issue in this first session following the disappointing cup exit.