Mbappe returns to Real, ready for the big clash against Man City

Kylian Mbappe is racing against time to recover and participate in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Man City.

According to MARCA, Kylian Mbappe still has the chance to return for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Man City, even though this possibility was previously considered nearly impossible. If the French striker can play, it will be a huge boost for Real Madrid in their encounter with Pep Guardiola's team, a matchup regarded as the most notable in this year's knockout round.

During his recovery period in France, the 2018 World Cup champion was not alone; he was accompanied by two physical therapists from Real Madrid to ensure the treatment process followed the correct schedule. However, Los Blancos remain cautious and have not specified a precise timeline for Mbappe's return, as they want to avoid any risk of a recurrence of the injury.

Currently, Mbappe only has two crucial training sessions on Monday and Tuesday to prove that his knee can withstand the high intensity of a major match. The desire of the 1998-born forward to play has never been doubted, but the coaching staff must carefully weigh the benefits of using their key striker against the risk of worsening his injury condition. The medical team at the Valdebebas training center will continue to closely monitor his status in the coming hours.

Mbappe's situation is being closely monitored by fans and the coaching staff, as he is the central figure in Real Madrid's attacking system. Recent reports indicate that the striker's recovery process has shown positive progress during his time in France, but the extremely short timeframe before the match on Wednesday remains the biggest obstacle. The final decision is likely to be made after the last training session on Tuesday evening.

Besides Mbappe, recent training sessions also noted some other notable developments regarding Real Madrid's squad situation. Jude Bellingham continues his recovery process and has returned to partial training on the field, though the English midfielder still trains separately to regain optimal fitness. Meanwhile, Alvaro Carreras, who suffered a heavy collision in the match against Getafe, also trains separately but is expected to soon return to team training and be ready to play.

Whether Carreras will start remains uncertain, especially since Ferland Mendy has been performing consistently in recent matches. In another development, Antonio Rudiger also trains separately from the main group but is expected to return to normal training on Tuesday. The fitness issues affecting several key players force the coaching staff to carefully consider rotation options before hosting Pep Guardiola's team.

The match between Real Madrid and Man City will take place at 3:00 AM on March 12.