French striker suffering from acute gastroenteritis as Xabi Alonso’s new-look Madrid held to frustrating draw
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ has been rushed to hospital after missing Real Madrid’s opening Club World Cup clash against Al-Hilal.
The 26-year-old French superstar is suffering from acute gastroenteritis and is undergoing tests and treatment at a US hospital, the club confirmed on Thursday.
Real Madrid announced in a statement: “Our player Kylian Mbappé is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment.”
The striker had already missed Real’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal on Wednesday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Symptoms of acute gastroenteritis include diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite and abdominal pain and cramping.
Alonso’s uncertain debut
New Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso was asked about Mbappé’s condition following the clash with Al-Hilal.
He responded: “I don’t know if Mbappé will be back for the next game. We’ll see. He wasn’t doing well in the last two days. He’s sick.”
The France international, who has scored 31 La Liga goals this season since his blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain, is now a major doubt for Real’s next match on Sunday against Mexican side Pachuca.
Alonso’s side will end their group campaign against RB Salzburg.
Missed opportunity
In Mbappé’s absence, academy product Gonzalo García started as centre-forward and scored the first goal of the match, before Rúben Neves levelled for the Saudi club.
Federico Valverde had the chance to win the game for the Spanish giants in added time, but his penalty was saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bono.
Real Madrid’s medical staff had initially attributed Mbappé’s absence to a fever, with the club saying he began showing symptoms on Tuesday.
“Kylian was a bit better this morning, but he was not fully fit, so we thought it would be best for him to skip training,” Alonso had told reporters before Wednesday’s match.
Alexander-Arnold makes debut
While Mbappé was absent, new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold made his Real Madrid debut against Al-Hilal and showed glimpses of his class before being taken off in the 65th minute.
The former Liverpool star stunned everyone at his unveiling by speaking fluent Spanish, revealing he had been learning the language for “a couple of months.
“It was something important that I had to do,” Alexander-Arnold said. “I want to adapt and give myself the best start possible going to a new country, new city and new team.”
“It is important to show the intent that I want to embrace the culture, immerse myself in it and try to adapt as best as possible.”
Never played in Club World Cup
Despite being one of world football’s biggest stars for nearly a decade, this tournament marks Mbappé’s first opportunity to play in the Club World Cup.
During his nine seasons in France with AS Monaco and PSG, he never won the Champions League – the key to qualifying for the Club World Cup in its previous format.
PSG came closest in the 2019/20 season when they reached the Champions League final but were beaten by Bayern Munich.
Ironically, after his high-profile move to Real Madrid, PSG finally clinched their first Champions League title in the following campaign – without him.
Medical concerns mount
While no return date has been given, Mbappé remains under specialized medical supervision at the hospital, where he is being treated and monitored closely.
The club has made it clear that his full recovery is the priority, and no decisions regarding his return to play will be made until his health improves significantly.
His status for the remaining group stage matches is currently in serious doubt, casting a shadow over Real Madrid’s Club World Cup ambitions under their new manager.
