BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid is hoping Kylian Mbappé recovers from a knee issue in time to face a high-flying Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
Mbappé missed Madrid’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in Thursday’s semifinal, but coach Xabi Alonso said the France striker would travel from Spain to Saudi Arabia, where the mini-Super Cup tournament is being held.
Alonso wouldn't confirm if Mbappé will play, but said the team's top scorer is “much better, he’s been training and he’s feeling good."
Mbappé, who leads La Liga in goals this season, has been sidelined for two games with a left knee sprain.
Also this weekend, the teams not involved in the Spanish Super Cup will play a regular round of La Liga matches as the domestic competition reaches its midway point.
Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in La Liga in October thanks to goals by Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. That victory, however, marked the high point of its first season under Alonso. Since then the fortunes of the rivals have inverted. Barcelona has overtaken Madrid for the league lead and produced much more impressive performances while speculation has grown about Alonso's job security.
Barcelona thumped Athletic Bilbao 5-0 in Wednesday’s semifinal in Jeddah even with star forward Lamine Yamal resting on the bench until the damage was done and only playing the final minutes.
In last year's Spanish Super Cup final, Barcelona routed Madrid 5-2 to lift the first of three titles it collected ahead of winning the Copa del Rey and La Liga.
In La Liga this weekend, third-placed Villarreal can make up ground on the frontrunners when it hosts Alaves on Saturday. Villarreal is seven points behind second-placed Madrid and 11 adrift of Barcelona but with two games in hand.
Espanyol, in fifth, can pull closer to fourth-placed Atletico and challenge for a Champions League spot if it wins at Levante on Sunday.
If Mbappé plays, he will provide Madrid with some much-needed punch after the team struggled against Atletico. Even goal-scorer Federico Valverde said that Atletico had played better.
Yamal is expected to return to the starting lineup for Barcelona in his spot on the right flank.
But attacking midfielder Fermín López, who was reportedly close to a move to Chelsea in the summer, could prove key for Hansi Flick’s side. Fermín’s energy and appetite for goals make him unique in a Barcelona side full of finesse.
While Barcelona will only be missing midfielder Gavi Paéz, Madrid has been badly hit by injuries.
Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold were already out injured, and media reports say that Antonio Rudiger and fellow center back Raúl Asencio are doubtful for the final after playing against Atletico.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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