MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé trained separately from his Real Madrid teammates on Tuesday, leaving his availability for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Manchester City in doubt.
Madrid said Mbappé was training indoors under coach Xabi Alonso while the rest of the squad practiced on the pitch.
According to Spanish media, Mbappe, who has scored 25 goals for Madrid this season, is recovering from an illness in his left foot. He is the top scorer in both the Spanish League and the Champions League.
Madrid have won only two of their last seven games in all competitions. It was their return game from Sunday’s 2-0 home loss to Celta Vigo in the Spanish league. In the Champions League, after losing 1-0 to Liverpool, they won 4-3 against Olympiakos.
“We have concluded the game against Celta and now we are only thinking about the game against City,” Alonso said on Tuesday. “Now it’s the Champions League and we’re playing at the (Santiago) Bernabéu (stadium). I’m sure the atmosphere will be special because of the energy that will be generated. That’s what’s on our minds right now.”
Madrid are in fifth place in the Champions League after five league games. They are two points behind Man City in 9th place.
Sunday’s loss to Celta was Madrid’s first home defeat of the season.
Alonso dismissed reports in Spanish media that he had lost control of the dressing room and that some players were not happy with his work.
“This is a team and we are all united,” he said. “When you are the manager of Real Madrid, you have to be ready to enjoy these situations calmly and responsibly. I am looking forward to everything starting tomorrow. Yesterday we started closing the books for the Celta game, but today we will only focus on the City game. In football you can change your perspective quickly, but we have reached that stage.”
Midfielder Aurelien Choameny said he could not blame Alonso for the team’s recent struggles.
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “If we want to win games, we all have to fight in the same direction, coach and team up. We are the ones on the pitch and we have to do better off the pitch. We have a good opportunity to change the dynamics and get more points in the Champions League.”
“The coach had a good game plan against Celta, but in the end it’s the players who are on the pitch. If we play at our level, we will have a better chance of winning,” Choameni said. “If we lose 2-0, it’s because there was a problem on the pitch, whether it was intensity or a technical foul. It’s not the manager’s fault. We have to improve and that’s what we will do.”
Alonso has been plagued by multiple injuries in defence, and will be without defender Eder Militao, who was injured in the first half against Celta, on Wednesday. Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga also had individual training on Tuesday.
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