A depleted Madrid ahead of the most decisive match

The buildup to Real Madrid vs. Manchester City has turned into an exercise in survival. Xabi Alonso’s team is going through a sporting crisis that has triggered internal and external pressure, to the point where the Champions League clash is viewed as a definitive exam for the coach’s immediate future. The defeat to Celta at the Bernabéu set off all alarms, and the wave of rumors — including a possible rift between the squad and the coaching staff — has created a climate of constant tension.

To that already complicated scenario comes an even bigger problem: Real Madrid’s infirmary is overwhelmed. The injuries keep generating headlines, concerns and doubts at a critical point in the season, when the team desperately needs stability, leadership, and a competitive XI to face one of the strongest teams in Europe.

The injury plague that dismantles Xabi Alonso’s plans

To host Manchester City, Real Madrid will have only four first-team defenders available. The absences are devastating: Militao, Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alaba, and Ferland Mendy will not be available. The defensive backbone of the team has collapsed just before the most demanding match of the Champions League.

To that already alarming list, add Dean Huijsen and Eduardo Camavinga, both ruled out after being unable to complete the final training session. Their discomfort has not subsided, and the staff has removed them from contention. The team is weakened across all lines and particularly vulnerable against a City side that arrives with Erling Haaland, author of 20 goals in 20 matches, in top form.

The biggest concern: Mbappé might not play

The major question mark is Kylian Mbappé. The forward comes into the match with a fractured finger, but the real worry lies in the discomfort he feels in the back of his left thigh. The Frenchman did not train with the group, and inside the club they acknowledge he is a “serious doubt” for the match. Even if he plays, he would do so significantly limited, a delicate scenario considering he is the team’s most decisive player this season, with 25 goals in 21 matches.

The club’s plan is to wait until the very last moment. His presence will depend on his sensations and the final evaluation from the medical staff, who will determine if there is a risk of aggravating the injury. The importance of the match weighs heavily, but so does the immediate future of a player whose performance profoundly shapes the team’s offensive structure.

La Fábrica steps in at a critical time

With so many absences, Xabi Alonso has turned to the academy to complete the squad. Young Joan Martínez, already training under first-team dynamics, will be available, as will Valdepeñas, a center-back who can also play left-back and who has impressed with his reliability and consistency at Castilla. Both seem set to receive the definitive call due to the defensive emergency.

Alongside them could appear Cestero, a midfielder described by Álvaro Arbeloa as “the best number six in Spain” among youth ranks. His ability to balance the team and his tactical intelligence make him a valuable option for a match that will demand precision, order, and personality. The academy steps in not as symbolic support, but as a vital necessity.

What will happen with Mbappé? The final decision

Real Madrid enters the match against Manchester City at the most fragile moment of its season: seven confirmed absences, a monumental doubt surrounding Mbappé, a questioned coach, and a squad trying to stay emotionally afloat amid the storm. The team huddle before the last training session — players and staff embracing at midfield — reflects both the tension and the need for unity to survive a challenge that could define the trajectory of their campaign.

The opening whistle will set the tone, but the final whistle will define everything. With or without Mbappé, with an improvised defense and pressure at maximum levels, Real Madrid faces its toughest test yet. A win could change the narrative; a defeat could unleash the institutional earthquake many already anticipate.