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Real Madrid Confirm Kylian Mbappe’s Fate for Spanish Super Cup Final
Kylian Mbappé is on the bench for the Spanish Super Cup final, leaving Real Madrid without their leading goalscorer when the opening whistle sounds against Barcelona on Sunday evening.
Despite making the trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday and training with the team ahead of the all-important Clásico, Mbappé will be reduced to a mere substitute role at Alinma Bank Stadium, with Gonzalo García starting in his place for the third consecutive game.
The France international was always a doubt to start the final after sustaining a knee injury on New Year’s Eve. Mbappé was sidelined for Los Blancos’ 5–1 victory over Real Betis and did not even make Xabi Alonso’s Spanish Super Cup squad.
Stuck in Madrid, the 27-year-old could only watch as his team defeated Atlético Madrid 2–1 in the semifinals on Thursday night. Then, Alonso shocked the world when he announced Mbappé was on his way to join up with the team following the victory.
Still, Real Madrid will once again have to get by without the superstar forward, at least in the early stages against Barcelona. Mbappé is among the substitutes available should Alonso need a spark off the bench.
The Frenchman leads the team with 29 goals across all competitions this season. Mbappé has only failed to find the back of the net in six of his 24 appearances in 2025–26.
Replicating Mbappé’s production is an impossible feat for the 15-time European champions, but they will hope Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham find enough success against Hansi Flick’s men to bring home the Spanish Super Cup crown.
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Real Madrid Starting Lineup vs. Barcelona
Real Madrid starting XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Gonzalo.
Substitutes: Andriy Lunin (GK), Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, David Jiménez, Fran García, Thiago Pitarch, Dani Ceballos, Arda Güler, Franco Mastantuono, Kylian Mbappé.
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Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer and editor. Born and raised in New York City, her first loves were the Yankees, the Rangers and Broadway before Real Madrid took over her life. Had it not been for her brother’s obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo, she would have never lived through so many magical Champions League nights 3,600 miles away from the Bernabéu. When she’s not consumed by Spanish and European soccer, she’s traveling, reading or losing her voice at a concert.