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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Kylian Mbappé is on course to return in time for Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against archrivals Barcelona.
The French forward, who missed Sunday’s La Liga victory over Athletic Bilbao, is also set to sit out Wednesday’s fixture against Getafe as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained during Madrid’s Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal last week.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Ancelotti said that both Mbappé and compatriot Ferland Mendy are expected to rejoin the squad in time for the El Clásico showdown.
“They won’t be ready for tomorrow’s game, but they’ll train over the coming days, and I believe they’ll be available for the game on Saturday,” the Italian coach told reporters.
Mbappé, who has scored 33 goals this season, received a mixed reaction from Real Madrid fans when he appeared on the stadium screens during their 1-0 win over Athletic at the Santiago Bernabéu. The result kept Madrid four points adrift of league leaders Barcelona.
“Mbappé is frustrated because he’s injured and can’t help the team,” Ancelotti said. “But he’s doing everything he can to be fit for Saturday.”
In the absence of their star striker, Madrid adopted a more cautious approach against Bilbao, opting for an additional midfielder to shore up the defence.
Ancelotti acknowledged that inconsistency has hampered Madrid’s performances this season.
“Our problems have been fairly clear,” he said. “We’ve had to adapt how we play because the players have different characteristics.”
“We’ve struggled to find the right balance, and I hope we can achieve it during the run-in. With so much at stake in the remaining matches, if we don’t get it right, it will be difficult to win.”
