Xabi Alonso fires Kylian Mbappé warning to PSG ahead of Club World Cup semi-final

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso says he can sense the “desire” within Kylian Mbappé as he prepares to face former club Paris St-Germain in Wednesday’s FIFA Club World Cup semi-final.

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The France striker left PSG to join Madrid last summer and has been hugely prolific for the Spanish giants, despite them enduring their first trophyless campaign since 2020-21.

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The disappointing season in the Spanish capital saw Carlo Ancelotti depart the Santiago Bernabeu and be replaced by legendary former player Alonso at the start of the Club World Cup.

A gastrointestinal illness before Madrid’s opening match of the tournament against Al Hilal saw Mbappé treated at a hospital.

He lost a considerable amount of weight and was forced to sit out all three group matches before being passed fit to feature against Juventus as a second-half substitute.

Mbappé then came off the bench to score in Saturday's 3-2 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund, encouraging hopes he can hit top gear against PSG, who recently completed a remarkable treble after winning their maiden Champions League title.

“I’ve seen him well, I’ve seen him with desire,” Alonso said of his star striker when speaking exclusively to DAZN.

“Today we trained well and we didn't talk about anything special because he’s playing against Paris.

“We are trying to prepare well and nothing special – we have different alternatives and we need everyone to be involved in all the phases.

“When we have the ball and when we don't have the ball, we need to know what solutions we can have, which players have to be closer to the start or who can be more in the last line and try to have a clear idea.

“We have an opponent that is going to demand a lot from us because they press a lot. They want you.

“They want to subdue you in their own half, in their own half, so they don’t play, so they don’t get there too much. And it’s going to be a very interesting match.”

Alonso is a confirmed admirer of his PSG counterpart and fellow Spaniard Luis Enrique after the legendary ex-Barcelona player masterminded the French club’s treble-winning 2024-25 campaign.

The Madrid boss said: “Apart from the fact that I think he has a great knowledge of the game, he has been able to gradually introduce and progress in the project that Paris are building.

“And then the capacity for leadership; I think he transmits that to his players.

“He already did it in the national team and now at Paris. This second season, even last season, you could already see a team that was very much defined by Luis Enrique’s personality.”

Alonso will do things his way, adding: “Everyone has their own way of working and I try to have my own.

“I try to be normal, natural and connect with the players so that we all have the same idea as I have my idea.

“But if the players don't have it, it's no use. We all have to be aligned and say this is what we want and we are going to go for it.”

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