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Kylian Mbappé has been omitted from Real Madrid's squad for Sunday's high-stakes clash against Barcelona.
The French star picked up a hamstring problem late last month and had been targeting a return for Sunday's potentially title-deciding Clásico, with his reappearance in training seemingly suggesting he was on course to make it.
However, manager Álvaro Arbeloa had cautioned fans against getting too optimistic, acknowledging that his initial assessment was that Mbappé would fall short of being fit in time. Sadly for Los Blancos, that prediction proved accurate, as the forward was absent when Madrid's squad was officially confirmed.
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Arbeloa's hesitation in finding a suitable replacement for Mbappé was evident last week during Madrid's 2–0 victory over Espanyol.
Attacking midfielder Brahim Díaz was deployed as a centre-forward within a 4-2-3-1 setup, though he was substituted early in the second half and replaced by the squad's only natural striker, Gonzalo García.
Gonzalo contributed an assist for Vinicius Junior and seems to have done enough to merit a starting berth here, though the magnitude of the fixture and the danger Barcelona present could push Arbeloa toward a different solution.
Taking advantage of Barcelona's aggressive defensive line could prove crucial for Arbeloa, who may consider deploying Vini Jr. through the middle for greater attacking dynamism, though that option would leave the flanks relatively exposed.
Jude Bellingham, primarily an attacking midfielder, has occasionally been used as a central striker at Madrid, though the Englishman is considerably more impactful in his natural position, making it a huge gamble for Arbeloa to go down that route in a match that could effectively hand Barcelona the La Liga crown.
Other alternatives such as Arda Güler and Rodrygo are sidelined through injury, joining Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy, and Dani Carvajal on the treatment table. Federico Valverde will also miss out after sustaining a head injury in a dressing-room altercation with Aurélien Tchouaméni, who has been included in the squad.