Real Madrid has confirmed that star forward and French captain Kylian Mbappé has been admitted to the hospital with acute gastroenteritis, a gut infection requiring “various tests and treatment.”
The 26-year-old missed training earlier in the week due to a fever and was absent from Real Madrid’s opening Club World Cup match on Wednesday, which resulted in a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al Hilal.
Manager Xabi Alonso stated that the forward was suffering from “significant viral issues” and would be assessed daily, with his return for the upcoming matches – against Pachuca on Sunday and RB Salzburg next Friday – currently uncertain.
During Mbappé’s absence, 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia scored Real Madrid’s only goal in the draw, which saw Al Hilal equalize through a Ruben Neves penalty and Federico Valverde miss a late penalty for the Spanish giants.
Alonso acknowledged the team’s struggles, commenting that the team’s performance lacked balance and that improvement “will take time.” Mbappé’s unavailability is a major setback, given he was the club’s top scorer in his debut season with 43 goals in 56 games.
