Real Madrid has included Kylian Mbappe in their 24-player squad for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar, indicating that the French forward may be fit to play.
Mbappe missed the draw with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga over the weekend due to a fitness concern, which coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted has been puzzling given the lighter training schedule.
Despite facing challenges in adjusting since his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe has continued to score, netting 12 goals in 22 appearances. He was with the Madrid squad when they arrived in Doha on Monday and is listed in Ancelotti’s lineup, with the team set to train on Tuesday.
The final against Mexican team Pachuca is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
On Tuesday, Ancelotti shared an encouraging update about Mbappe, saying, “Kylian trained yesterday and felt good,” as he addressed reporters. “Everything went well. We will assess his condition during today’s training. We are optimistic.”
Eduardo Camavinga is also part of the squad. The midfielder returned from a hamstring injury sustained last month, coming on as a substitute over the weekend. Vinicius Junior is included as well, despite reports suggesting he may be sidelined until 2025. Madrid sometimes lists unavailable players to allow them to participate in significant events, similar to David Alaba in last season’s Champions League final and Camavinga at the UEFA Super Cup in August.
It is clear that Ancelotti faces a shortage of defensive options, with limited depth in the back line due to injuries to Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy.
The new Intercontinental Cup, named after the previous tournament that ran annually from 1960 to 2004, has been introduced to replace the FIFA Club World Cup, which has been expanded and moved to a quadrennial summer schedule.
Madrid received a bye to the final, while Pachuca has played twice in Qatar over the past week, defeating Botafogo, the recent Copa Libertadores champions, and Al Ahly, the reigning African champions, to secure their spot in the final.
Madrid were the first winners of the original Intercontinental Cup, defeating Uruguayan powerhouse Penarol over two legs. The first match in Montevideo ended in a draw, but the return leg in Spain saw Madrid win 5-1, with goals from Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano.
