Xabi Alonso faces a significant blow ahead of the Supercup, with Kylian Mbappé officially ruled out. Real Madrid had maintained a veil of uncertainty over the star forward's availability throughout the week, holding off on a final decision in the hope of including the Frenchman for the season's first piece of silverware.
Mbappé's knee injury ultimately scuppered his chances of a timely recovery, leading to his omission from the 24-man squad travelling to Saudi Arabia. The 'Merengues' are set to lock horns with Atletico de Madrid in semi-final.
Conversely, Xabi Alonso will welcome the numerical boost provided by several key defensive returns. Though their match fitness remains to be fully assessed, Trent, Huijsen, Mendy (who featured against Betis), and Alaba have all been included in the travelling party.