By Achile Danjuma
Real Madrid have received a significant lift ahead of Tuesday’s decisive UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg against Manchester City, with star duo Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham both declared fit for the clash at the Etihad Stadium.
According to a report from BBC Sport on Monday, French forward Mbappé has been cleared to return after recovering from a left knee sprain. The 27-year-old suffered the injury during a La Liga fixture against Osasuna on February 21 and has been sidelined for the subsequent two weeks. His reintegration into the squad provides manager Carlo Ancelotti with a substantial boost to his attacking firepower for the high-stakes encounter.
Midfield maestro Jude Bellingham is also available for selection after a prolonged absence. The 22-year-old England international has been out of action since sustaining a hamstring injury in a league match against Rayo Vallecano on February 1. While the initial prognosis suggested a layoff of approximately four weeks, the severity of the setback cast doubt over his participation, raising concerns about his availability for England’s upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Los Blancos travel to Manchester holding a commanding 3-0 aggregate lead following a dominant display in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. Federico Valverde was the hero on the night, netting a first-half hat-trick to put Madrid firmly in control. The visitors’ cause was not helped by a second-half penalty miss from Vinícius Júnior, who was denied by City goalkeeper Ederson, preventing Madrid from extending their advantage even further.
The timely return of both Mbappé and Bellingham injects a renewed sense of confidence and quality into the Madrid squad as they look to seal their place in the quarter-finals. For Manchester City, the task is clear but formidable: they must produce a historic comeback to overturn a three-goal deficit against a now-strengthened European champion, setting the stage for a captivating and high-intensity battle in Manchester.