Real Madrid Reportedly Could Be Without Experienced Player vs Barcelona
It was a huge game for Real Madrid as they took on rivals Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final on January 8. They snuck past Diego Simeone's men, winning 2-1, booking a place against Barcelona in the final.
Following the game, they had some excellent news regarding striker Kylian Mbappe. Xabi Alonso confirmed that Kylian Mbappe was flying to Jeddah and would be available for the final, something that hadn't seemed likely.
With the good news comes some potential bad news. It has been reported that one of Los Blancos' starters could miss the final against Braca, which could be a big blow ahead of the chance to grab the first silverware of 2026.
Injury concerns for two Real Madrid players
According to Miguel Ángel Díaz of COPE, Antonio Rudiger continues to be treated for a knee issue. However, the German does not want to miss the final after being a big part of the team's winning start to 2026, and in the semi-final.
There were some concerns over forward Rodrygo, but the Spanish journalist has revealed he has no hamstring injury and will be available to play in the final. The question for Alonso is, does he risk Rudiger if he is not fully fit?
Before the semi-final, it was unclear whether the 32-year-old would start due to the same issue. However, he passed a late fitness test and started the game. He did come off mid-way through the second half, with Alonso confirming it was due to his fitness.
That could be how the Los Blancos coach plays it again. Alonso kept the same team for the Atletico Madrid game that beat Real Betis. He does have Dean Huijsen available, but the fact that he did not start him against their Madrid rivals shows he is happy with the starting XI.
However, with Kylian Mbappe's return, does he come straight into the starting lineup? If he is fully fit, there is no doubt he would. The Frenchman may not be 100% so Gonzalo Garcia may start for the third consecutive game. Big questions to answer for Alonso ahead of a big game.
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-031bbeb5612ca252e2129722373fa56d.png "Jordan Merritt")
Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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