Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa expressed confidence that Kylian Mbappé will travel with the team for their crucial Champions League second leg against Manchester City next week. The France international missed Wednesday's 3-0 win at the Bernabéu due to a knee injury that has troubled him since December, with Valverde stepping in to score a hat-trick in his absence.

Mbappé, Madrid's top scorer with 38 goals this season, has been recovering from a sprain in his left knee. Arbeloa confirmed the forward won't feature against Elche on Saturday but expects him to make the trip to Manchester. The coach made no commitment about Mbappé potentially resting during the upcoming international break to aid his recovery process.

Arbeloa vowed to field his strongest possible team against struggling Elche despite the physical exertion of the City tie. The coach also praised goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, calling him "undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in Real Madrid's history" after his stunning point-blank save preserved Madrid's three-goal advantage in the first leg.