Alonso not focusing on Mbappe record chase
Kylian Mbappe is out to make Real Madrid history before 2025 is over, but that does not mean he will play in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso explained that Kylian Mbappe's hopes of making club history are not on his mind ahead the Copa del Rey tie against Talavera.
Mbappe has scored 56 goals for Los Blancos in 2025.
Should he score three more before the year is out, he will equal Cristiano Ronaldo's club record of 59, which was set in 2013.
However, with Mbappe dealing with a niggling knee injury that kept him out of last week's Champions League defeat to Manchester City, Alonso is taking a cautious approach, even though the France star featured and scored in Sunday's win over Alaves.
When asked about Mbappe's hopes of surpassing Ronaldo's record, and whether that meant the striker would feature against Talavera, Alonso said: "Not at all, it hasn't been discussed.
"That topic hasn't come up. We've always thought about the match and the best decisions to field the best team for each match."
Mbappe's effort against Alaves took him to 48 LaLiga goals for Madrid in 51 games in Spain's top-flight.
Should Mbappe score two goals across his next seven LaLiga appearances, he will move ahead of Luis Suarez into second place when it comes to the fastest players to hit a half-century of goals in the competition in the 21st century, behind Ronaldo (51 matches).
Even if Mbappe does not play against Talavera, he has one more LaLiga game to go before Madrid takes a winter break, with Los Blancos hosting Sevilla.
Alonso, meanwhile, relieved some of the pressure that had been mounting on his shoulders by overseeing the win over Alaves.
Had Madrid failed to claim three points in that fixture, it had been reported that the Spaniard would be sacked just six months after taking over from Carlo Ancelotti.
Of his relationship with the club's board, Alonso said: "The situation remains the same. We maintain good communication. We are in this together, each with our roles.
"The Xabi who arrived in June isn't the same as the one now. I've learned things, I've had to adjust things about myself, and there's been development. It's normal, we evolve. And the important thing is that it's for the better. There's still a way to go."
