Kylian Mbappe edging closer to full fitness as Real reach Club World Cup last eight

MIAMI – Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe was edging closer to full fitness ahead of the Club World Cup quarter-finals, after his side eliminated Juventus 1-0 in the last 16 on July 1.

The 26-year-old made his long-awaited debut in the tournament as a second-half substitute following a bout of gastroenteritis that sidelined him during the group stage.

Alonso expressed optimism that the France striker would be sharper in time for the quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund on July 5. The German team saw off Monterrey 2-1 in the other last-16 tie on July 1.

“I think day by day he will get better, and by the time of the quarters, he should be in much better shape,” the Spaniard told a press conference at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

“We’ll keep checking in with him every day.”

On Mbappe, Juve coach Igor Tudor said: “How does it change with Mbappe? How do you drive the car? Real Madrid already goes at 200 kilometres per hour, then you add Mbappe and it goes to 250 – and 200 is already a lot. With Mbappe, it’s like adding 50 more.”

In Mbappe’s absence, Gonzalo Garcia deputised brilliantly, scoring the only goal on July 1 for his third of the tournament.

Midfielder Federico Valverde was instrumental in Real’s hard-fought win, creating countless chances and earning praise from Alonso, who hailed the Uruguayan as a “complete player” with leadership qualities that lift the entire team.

Vinicius Jr’s positioning was another focal point, with Alonso explaining tactical tweaks that shifted the Brazilian back to his favoured left flank in the second half.

“We saw that giving him width allowed him to attack better from outside in,” the coach said.

On defence, he credited his players’ collective discipline for limiting Juventus’ chances, highlighting Real’s continued improvement at the back with only two goals conceded across four matches in the tournament so far.

Meanwhile, Tudor claimed 10 players asked to be substituted during the match, which was played in humid and hot conditions.

Temperatures reached 30 deg C with a humidity of 70 per cent – a punishing combination for the players.

The extreme heat in several cities hosting the Club World Cup has been a focal point in the tournament, which is seen as a dry run for the 2026 World Cup.

Fifa has implemented cooling breaks, one per half, and mitigating measures, but some players and coaches have been complaining about the conditions.

Said Tudor: “In the end, 10 players asked to be substituted – 10 players asked to come off. It wasn’t possible; the exhaustion was incredible.

“There’s the tension of this match, which burns your energy. Then there’s this heat, which really gets to you… and the third thing that completes the conditions today is playing in this humidity, right? These three things together combined.”

Later, Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said a date with Real was just a bonus for his overperforming team, who held off a second-half comeback from Monterrey in Atlanta.

Two goals from Serhou Guirassy put Dortmund well on top at half-time and Kovac was pleased with how hard they battled after their Mexican opponents stormed back in the second half, with German Berterame pulling one back three minutes after the break.

Said Kovac: “We are happy. I think we overperformed. We passed the group stage. This is now on top. This is a bonus for us, and now playing against the biggest team and biggest club in the world is a good challenge. I think that for us, Borussia Dortmund, and also for German football as a whole, this is a big, big deal.”

On Real, he added: “We know (Alonso) very well. He worked 2½ years in Germany, and he did a fantastic job.

“Now he’s implementing everything he had in (Bayer) Leverkusen at Real Madrid. So we’re expecting the same what we had in Leverkusen, only with different players.” REUTERS