Mbappé returns to a list with seven absences.
Madrid, Jan 16 (EFE)
Kylian Mbappé, along with Thibaut Courtois, Álvaro Carreras, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and youth team player Álvaro Leiva, are the new additions to Álvaro Arbeloa’s second squad list as Real Madrid manager, which will face Levante in their LaLiga debut at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Seven players are unavailable. Éder Militão and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who were already sidelined with injuries, were joined after the Spanish Super Cup by Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo. Andriy Lunin, the starting goalkeeper in the Copa del Rey, was also unavailable after missing Friday’s training session. Brahim Díaz remains unavailable as he will be playing for Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
After Arbeloa confirmed in a press conference that all the players who stayed in Madrid last Wednesday, and did not travel to Albacete where Real Madrid was eliminated from the Copa del Rey, did so due to their physical condition, being injured or suffering from ailments that posed risks if they played, the manager has five first-team players available for the match against Levante.
Among them is Mbappé, who has tested his left knee, which is still suffering from a sprain, in two training sessions. The French striker is included in the squad, and a decision will be made on Saturday regarding whether he can play again or if they will wait until Tuesday for the Champions League match against Monaco.
Among the youth academy players, reflecting Arbeloa’s clear commitment, are goalkeepers Fran González and Sergio Mestre, full-back David Jiménez, midfielder Jorge Cestero, and César Palacios.
Joan Martínez and Manuel Ángel are out of the squad compared to the Albacete match, while Leiva is a new addition. Arbeloa continues to be without Thiago Pitarch, a regular in Xabi Alonso’s squads.
Real Madrid’s squad to face Levante in Matchday 20 of LaLiga at the Santiago Bernabéu is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Fran González, and Sergio Mestre.
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, David Jiménez, David Alaba, Raúl Asensio, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras, and Fran García.
Midfielders: Tchouaméni, Fede Valverde, Camavinga, Arda Güler, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham, Jorge Cestero, Álvaro Leiva, and César Palacios.
Forwards: Viníciusz, Mastantuono, Gonzalo, and Mbappé.
