Real Madrid have received bad news as the year draws to a close: the man who has been one of the few bright spots in their recently faltering star ensemble could be out for weeks.
31.12.2025, 16:26
dpa
Real Madrid will have to cope without star striker Kylian Mbappé at the start of the new year. The Frenchman has suffered a ligament injury in his left knee, the Spanish record champions announced. The club did not provide any details on the duration of the forced break.
Meanwhile, the specialist newspaper "Marca" and other Spanish and French media estimate that the 27-year-old will be out for up to three weeks. Together with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Mbappé was one of the few bright spots in coach Xabi Alonso's star-studded squad, which has stumbled recently.
According to media reports, it is certain that Mbappé will at least have to watch the Whites' next league game against Betis Sevilla on Sunday. He is also likely to miss the Spanish Super Cup, which takes place in Saudi Arabia between January 7 and 11, according to reports.
Mbappé hard to replace at Real
One day after the first semi-final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, Real will face city rivals Atlético Madrid in the Supercopa. The winners will contest the final on January 11. In the previous edition, Barça defeated arch-rivals Real 5:2 in the final.
Mbappé took part in Real Madrid's public training session on Tuesday without any visible complaints. However, he has had recurring knee problems recently. Despite this, he has hardly been spared by coach Alonso: he has played 2,108 minutes this season and appeared in 24 of Real's 25 competitive matches. He played four out of six games for France.
In sporting terms, the 2018 World Cup winner is also hard to replace at the Madrileños: With 18 league goals in 18 games, two goals in the cup and nine goals in five Champions League games, Mbappé has 29 goals and five assists so far this season. In his absence, Gonzalo García or the Brazilian Rodrigo could get a chance and move into the starting eleven.
