Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham Included In Real Madrid Squad For Champions League 2nd Leg Against Manchester City

Kylian Mbappe is back in Real Madrid's squad for the second leg against Manchester City in the Champions League's round of 16 on Tuesday. The France striker hasn't played since Feb. 21 because of a knee problem. He has missed five matches in all competitions, including Madrid's 3-0 win over City in the first leg last week. Mbappe was selected in a 26-man squad announced by Madrid on Monday. Also included was England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has been sidelined since Feb. 1 because of a thigh injury.

Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa will conduct his pre-match news conference later Monday, when he might give an indication if Mbappe and Bellingham are healthy enough to start at Etihad Stadium.

How do you prepare to overturn a 3-0 deficit to the mighty Real Madrid in the Champions League?

If you are Pep Guardiola, you give your players the day off.

“The players are at home with their families today. And then they'll send each other WhatsApp messages, I imagine, and tomorrow we'll see each other,” the Manchester City manager said Monday, the day before he leads his team into the second leg of their round-of-16 matchup against the record 15-time European champions.

Indeed, Guardiola gave off a relaxed air as he talked about the “massive” task facing City on Tuesday after its implosion in the first leg in Madrid last week, when Federico Valverde scored a brilliant first-half hat trick.

“I don't have a specific plan, apart from to just try,” Guardiola said.

“It will have to be,” he added, “a perfect game in many, many departments — with our people, the referee decisions. Many, many things have to be so good.”

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Topics mentioned in this article

Real Madrid Jude Bellingham Kylian Mbappe Football Manchester City UEFA Champions League