Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Real Madrid, has announced his team's squad for the match against Portuguese Benfica, scheduled for this evening in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The list of players did not include the name of French forward Kylian Mbappé. French sports newspaper L'Equipe had previously reported doubts about Mbappé's participation due to pain in his left knee, while Marca confirmed that the French star would not be in the starting lineup. Indeed, after Real Madrid announced its squad, it was confirmed that Mbappé had been excluded, despite having scored 38 goals this season. Following the squad announcement, Spanish reports, led by newspaper AS, indicated that the player will be absent until his left knee issue is fully resolved, aiming to be fully fit for the round of 16 in the second week of March, should his team advance. They explained that Mbappé is not satisfied with how his injury has been managed and has decided to find a definitive solution to end his problems and allow him to enter the decisive phase of the season in top form. Mbappé's absence represents a major crisis for the 'Royal Club', which is seeking to secure qualification to the Champions League knockout stages, especially as the Spanish team returned from Lisbon last week with a 1-0 win that was far from convincing and was filled with dramatic events.
