Kylian Mbappe was absent from Real Madrid’s training session on Tuesday due to a fever, just one day before the team begins their Club World Cup campaign.
The French forward did not take part in the open session held in Palm Beach Gardens, but new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold did.
Madrid are set to face Al Hilal in their Group H opener on Wednesday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The match marks the first official outing under new manager Xabi Alonso, who has the chance to begin his tenure with silverware should they go all the way.
Despite a challenging 2024-25 campaign that saw Madrid finish second in LaLiga and exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, Mbappe was one of the few bright spots, registering 43 goals across all competitions.
Ahead of the tournament, Madrid have bolstered their ranks with the additions of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen.
El presidente asiste al entrenamiento.
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 17, 2025
The latter, speaking to the press on Tuesday, was full of excitement and praise for the new chapter udner Alonso.
“He’s a good coach with clear ideas,” said Huijsen. “Everyone knows what he has been, and what he is. As a coach he’s accomplished great things, and as a player the same. We’re all excited.”
One concern surrounding the tournament is the weather. Madrid’s match is scheduled for a 3 pm local time kick-off, with temperatures expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius and humidity levels around 70%. Several players and coaches have already voiced discomfort about the conditions.
“The truth is that the heat is counterproductive at times, but for our opponents too,” said midfielder Dani Ceballos. “We’re training at these times, and we want to be ‘comfortable’ within that discomfort.”
