MADRID – Real Madrid desperately need superstar Kylian Mbappe at his magical best on Dec 10 in a pivotal Champions League clash against Manchester City and unstoppable striker Erling Haaland.

After just two victories in seven matches, fractures have emerged in Xabi Alonso’s Real project, with some Spanish media reporting a defeat against City could lead to a premature dismissal.

So often this season Real have underwhelmed but been rescued by Mbappe’s lethal brilliance, scoring 25 goals in 21 games to lead the scoring charts both in Spain and in the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s City are spearheaded by Haaland, who has 20 goals in 20 games across all competitions and, along with Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, is Mbappe’s only rival as the standout star of the season.

The pair have also been drawn against each other at next summer’s World Cup in the United States, with Mbappe’s France to face Haaland’s Norway on June 26.

The first chapter of that battle will be played out at the Bernabeu on Dec 10.

This season City are structured around Haaland, playing to the forward’s strengths and aiming for the majority of their moves to end with the ball at his feet in front of goal.

What structure Alonso tried to impart at Real has crumbled away amid a tussle for power with the players, although Mbappe’s quality has made him their key figure.

“The team is a flat, uninspired group clustered around Mbappe, whose goals merely mask the crisis,” wrote Spanish newspaper AS on Dec 7 after a 2-0 home defeat by Celta Vigo.

“If he takes a day off, there’s no alternative.”

Mbappe has been Real’s one constant this season, thriving when the team were doing well during a run of 13 wins from 14 matches, but also in recent weeks amid their struggles.

After a slow start to life in Spain following his move from...