Kylian Mbappé is nearing his potential debut at the FIFA Club World Cup as Real Madrid prepares for their round of 16 match against Juventus. Coach Xabi Alonso has indicated that there’s a “big possibility” the star forward will be fit to play.

Mbappe, 26, had to sit out all three of Real Madrid’s group stage games against Al Hilal, Pachuca, and RB Salzburg after being diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis just before the tournament began.

Real Madrid advanced to the knockout stage after finishing atop Group H,setting up their clash with Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Alonso expressed optimism that France international Mbappe could finally participate.

“kylian is doing well now and we are speaking every single day,” Alonso told reporters. “We will talk to him in the morning to make the final decision.

“It’s a big possibility that he makes his Club World Cup debut tomorrow, though.I don’t know how much, but it’s a big possibility.”

Alonso, who took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the 2024-25 season, is in his first month as Real Madrid coach after leaving Bayer Leverkusen. The former Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich midfielder emphasized that the Juventus game marks the true beginning of his tenure, describing it as “all or nothing.”

“Every single match is now all or nothing,” Alonso said. “It’s a huge match and we have been prepping for the last few weeks to be ready for tomorrow.”

“we are at the knockout stage now, last 16 against a top team like Juve, so we will have to have a very complete performance to go through.

“This match is vital.It’s a very different competition to those we normally play in,but Real madrid is very demanding and you are expected to win.

“This is our third week together. I am pumped, very excited, but there are so many things that you have to manage – footballers, so many people, based on trust for the future.

“We are spending a lot of time together, so that’s helping us speed up the process. So far it has been very challenging. With such an intense competition in a short time, to be able to build our principles, it’s challenging.

“We are building connections in these early stages,but we are reaching a moment where we have to do it tomorrow.”

Modric’s Potential Farewell

“I love him and I hope he will keep having fun, even though he is now 40.”

Juventus coach Igor Tudor expressed his hope that Real Madrid’s luka Modric continues to “have fun at 40,” ahead of what might be the midfielder’s final appearance for the club.

Modric is expected to join AC Milan after the Club World cup. Tudor, a former teammate of Modric on the Croatian national team, shared his admiration for the former Ballon d’Or winner.

“What can you say about Luka?” Tudor said. “We have less than 4 million people in Croatia, so a person like him brings a lot of pride for the country. He is a player that you all see, but he is just a normal person. He represents our country in the best possible way.

“I love him and I hope he will keep having fun, even though he is now 40.”