Real Madrid superstar forward Kylian Mbappe was not able to play in the second leg against Benfica due to a knee injury that is now bothering him even more, and manager Alvaro Arbeloa confirmed that this is not a one-game absence for the Frenchman.
Speaking at the press conference after Real Madrid survived with another win over their Portuguese antagonists, Arbeloa said that Mbappe will not be returning soon from his left knee ailment.
He said, via Madrid Zone, “Kylian Mbappé will NOT be back very soon. His recovery will take a while, not just a few days.”
Arbeloa’s information jibes with what Real Madrid fans were hearing – and fearing. Mbappe has been playing through pain for a couple of months now, but instead of easing up, the pain is only getting worse, jeopardizing Mbappe’s World Cup and ability to contribute down the stretch of the season for Real Madrid.
So Real Madrid are taking the best option to shut him down, asking more of their other stars like Vinicius Junior, who scored another big goal in the win over Benfica on Wednesday night.
Mbappe is almost certainly out against Getafe on Monday, and it would be crazy if he started on Mar. 7 against Celta Vigo then. It would make sense for Real to hold Mbappe out until April against Mallorca after the international break, in which case he would also be out against Elche and Atletico Madrid. But holding Mbappe out of El Derbi when he was their only good player in an embarrassing loss in the first fixture is easier said than done.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.