Real Madrid will be bolstered by the return of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham for Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, Mbappé, 27, has been sidelined since February 21 with a left knee sprain suffered in Real’s La Liga match against Osasuna.
His return strengthens Madrid’s attacking options, giving manager Alvaro Arbeloa a major boost ahead of the clash.
Bellingham, 22, has been out since 1 February, when he sustained a hamstring injury in a league game against Rayo Vallecano. Initially expected to be sidelined for about four weeks, the injury proved more serious, raising doubts about his availability for England’s upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Real Madrid travel to Manchester with a 3-0 advantage from the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Federico Valverde scored a first-half hat-trick, while Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Vinicius Jr from the penalty spot in the second half, preventing an even larger margin.
The return of Mbappé and Bellingham gives Madrid renewed confidence as they aim to secure progression to the quarter-finals, while Manchester City will be looking to overturn the deficit in what promises to be a high-intensity showdown at the Etihad.
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