La Liga giant, Real Madrid, has excluded Kylian Mbappé from its lineup for the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Real Sociedad on Wednesday due to a dental issue.
Naija News reports that the French forward did not participate in training with his teammates on Tuesday in preparation for the match; however, coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that he will still make the trip to San Sebastián.
Mbappé is the leading scorer for Madrid this season, having netted 28 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions.
It is worth noting that midfielder Fede Valverde and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois have also been left out of the travelling squad as they are recovering from minor fitness concerns.
In other news, England international Jude Bellingham has rejoined the squad after serving a suspension that kept him out of Sunday’s La Liga win over Girona.
On Tuesday, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid engaged in an exhilarating 4-4 draw in the first leg of the other semi-final.
Meanwhile, argentine football icon, Lionel Messi contributed to Inter Miami’s impressive 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, thereby securing advancement to the tournament’s last 16 with a commanding aggregate score of 4-1.
After scoring the decisive goal in the first leg, which took place in frigid conditions in Kansas City the previous week, Lionel Messi wasted no time in making his mark at the much warmer Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The 37-year-old Argentine forward found the back of the net just 19 minutes into the match, courtesy of a well-timed assist from his former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez.
The Argentine superstar capitalized on a defensive lapse from Sporting, expertly placing the ball into the bottom corner of the net, leaving the unsuspecting defence with no chance to react.
The visitors initially believed they had equalized when Dejan Joveljic, recently signed from Los Angeles Galaxy, managed to round Miami’s keeper, Oscar Ustari, and put the ball into the net. However, the goal was ruled offside, denying Kansas City a vital lifeline.
As the first half drew to a close, Miami doubled their lead dramatically in first-half stoppage time. Messi orchestrated the move by sending Jordi Alba darting down the left flank. Alba delivered a precise low cross into the box, where Tadeo Allende was waiting to tap it in from close range, sending Miami into the break with a 2-0 advantage.
The home side quickly added a third goal just two minutes after the restart. A disastrous miskick by Jacob Davis resulted in a chaotic scene in the Kansas City area, allowing Suarez to hook the bouncing ball expertly into the corner of the net, extending Miami’s lead to 3-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate.
