Real Madrid faces the huge test of a derby outside with Atletico Madrid on the second floor of their equality of the Champions League, at the end of 16, and this is what they can have to overcome without Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe should undergo fitness tests to determine if he will be able to play the Metropolitano, the French striker who has suffered his right ankle during the Laliga victory last weekend over Rayo Vallecano.
Madrid, who has not yet announced his official team for the match, led 2-1 from the first leg to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The absence of Mbappe would be a huge boost to Atletico, which held Madrid in a 1-1 draw in this match in Laliga in September, snatching a point thanks to the 95th minute equalizer of Angel Correa.
But the Atletico midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, has no illusions about the level of quality that Madrid has at their disposal, and he called the side of Diego Simeone to maintain an island orientation while they seek to reverse their first -row deficit.
“Everything is fundamental, even more for a tie like this,” said from Paul to Diario.
“The mental part has its relevance, but also the tactic, the physical…. It’s a set, it does not have to do with only one thing. We must be prepared in all aspects to realize what we want, which must go through.
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🏟️ Metropolitano pic.twitter.com/22f2gseuul– Real Madrid Cf 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 12, 2025
“First of all, above all, when you face this type of match, you must also take advantage of it, because you don’t always play them. Understanding that to realize what we want, we must all be together, it does not depend on a player or a thing.
“The matters of this magnitude are won as a team. Having lived other important games, I am convinced that it is a team where we all feel important, in 90 minutes, we need everyone, we are committed to the cause. And it can be a great night for all atleticos.
“Real Madrid has all the highest level players, which leads you to have a concentration and concerns about playing against them. [Jude] Bellingham has different characteristics, he can play and [Luka] MODRIC, [Aurelien] Tchouameni too.
“They have different characteristics, but play at a very high level. I don’t look so much who is in front of me because they are great, as I do in what I have to do.
From Paul suffered a blow while Atletico was beaten by Getafe on the weekend to fall at a point behind Barcelona and Madrid in an extremely close Laliga title race.
But he said of his physical condition: “I feel very good, it was a blow and it was just that. Nothing else. “”
