Real Madrid have announced their squad for the upcoming Champions League match against Lille, and the standout news is the surprising inclusion of Kylian Mbappe
The French forward had sustained an injury during a recent match against Alaves, leading many to believe he would be sidelined for weeks. Remarkably, less than a week later, he is back in contention for the game.
Mbappe has been training separately but reports indicate he has been feeling positive about his recovery. The plan is for him to participate in the final training session at the Decathlon Arena, but doubts about his match involvement will linger until the last minute.
Although he might feature, he is not expected to play the full 90 minutes.
Initially, it was thought that Mbappe could miss up to three weeks due to muscle discomfort, but he has shown remarkable determination to return ahead of schedule.
“I wanted to travel with my teammates for this special game,” he said, noting that Lille are also the club where his brother plays. This makes the match even more significant for him.
In contrast, Thibaut Courtois will not feature, having suffered a muscle injury during the derby. The Belgian goalkeeper is expected to miss matches against both Lille and Villarreal but could return for the game against Celta on 19 October.
In his absence, Andriy Lunin will make his first appearance of the season, joined by youth players Fran Gonzalez and Sergio Mestre.
Additionally, Jacobo Ramon, another promising academy graduate, has been included to bolster the defensive options. He narrowly missed out on his debut last week, when two late goals from Alaves thwarted his opportunity.
The anticipation builds as Real Madrid look to secure a vital win in the Champions League.