Kylian Mbappé has yet to log any minutes in the new Club World Cup format, but he’s now closer than ever to doing so after being included on the bench for the Round of 16 match against Juventus. This is a do-or-die game where he could make an immediate impact if he gets on the field.

Why hasn’t Mbappé played in the Club World Cup?

The French striker suffered from acute gastroenteritis in the United States, which even led to a hospital stay, causing him to miss all three group stage matches.

After the team’s debut against Al-Hilal, Xabi Alonso said he would wait until the last moment for Mbappé in each of the next two games, but the Frenchman didn’t take the field or make the squad for the victories against Pachuca in Charlotte and Salzburg in Philadelphia.

Mbappé, who scored 43 goals in his first season with Real Madrid, could make his debut in this match and aim for his first goal in the competition.

Who could they face in the Quarterfinals?

If Real Madrid overcomes Juventus in their knockout tie, they could face the winner of the matchup between Rayados de Monterrey and Borussia Dortmund.

Xabi Alonso wants to face Sergio Ramos

Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid’s coach, expressed on Monday his desire to reunite with Sergio Ramos, his former teammate and now a Monterrey defender, in the Club World Cup quarterfinals, though he stressed the need for maximum focus “against a European football giant like Juventus.”

“First, we need to win, but with Sergio, we’ve played many games together, shared a lot of friendship. I’m happy he’s still performing at that age and, above all, has that drive to keep playing. I hope we can meet in the quarterfinals,” Alonso said at the pre-match press conference in Miami ahead of the Juventus game.