Real Madrid: Arbeloa without two stars to face Manchester City

17.03.26 FT Champions League

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Real Madrid

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According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid’s two superstars, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, are edging closer to a return to training at the Valdebebas facility, under the watchful eye of interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa.

The daily reports that both players recently traveled abroad for medical examinations and to follow a specific treatment and rehabilitation program — a common practice within the Madrid club.

Mbappé and Bellingham ruled out for Man City showdown

According to AS, Kylian Mbappé’s left knee is responding well to treatment. However, his participation in the first leg against Manchester City is highly unlikely.

The same goes for Jude Bellingham, who is still working through his recovery program despite significant improvement in his left leg’s semitendinosus muscle injury.

On the other hand, the report indicates that both players could be available for the return leg at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s home ground, which can welcome nearly 58,000 fans.

As a reminder, Real Madrid will host Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu in the first leg of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League round of 16, scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 at 20:00 GMT.

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Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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