Kylian Mbappé, star forward for Real Madrid, will not be available for the crucial match against Pachuca in the second round of the Club World Cup group stage. The French striker will remain in Palm Beach, Florida, to continue his recovery after suffering an acute gastroenteritis that already ruled him out of the debut match against Al Hilal.

Health issues disrupt Real Madrid’s plans

The World Cup winner only completed two training sessions last week before developing a fever that sidelined him from the team’s first game in the tournament. That same night, Mbappé was hospitalized due to the severity of his condition but was released a few hours later after receiving treatment. Since then, he has been under medical supervision and training individually in the gym at Four Seasons Resort, where the team is staying.

Despite some improvement, the forward has not yet been able to rejoin group training and therefore will not travel with the team to Charlotte, where Xabi Alonso’s side is aiming for a vital win in Group H.

A decisive match in Group H

Real Madrid will face Pachuca this Sunday at the Bank of America Stadium in a game that could determine the group standings. The match kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET and is crucial for both teams. The Mexican side, led by Jaime Lozano, suffered a 2-1 defeat to Salzburg and another loss would knock them out of the tournament.

Mbappé’s absence is undoubtedly a major blow for the Spanish side, but the coaching staff remains hopeful that he will return for the next match. For now, the team’s focus is on securing three points without their main attacking threat.