Real Madrid have had to deal with an issue in recent weeks. Their most in-form player this season, Kylian Mbappe, has been missing out on action after a couple of months of playing through a knee problem.
The Frenchman has been managing the injury since last December, hoping the pain would subside, but it has reached a point where he could only play effectively on one leg and had to take a break. There is no clear estimate of when Mbappe will be ready to return to action.
What Los Blancos do know is that they will be without their talisman against Getafe in La Liga later today. When asked about Mbappe, coach Alvaro Arbeloa had the following to say about his injury situation, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo:
“We’re very clear about what’s going on, what has been happening, and what we want now—which is for him to fully recover from these discomforts so he can return at 100% with maximum confidence and safety. He’ll be back as soon as he’s fully recovered and those minor issues have disappeared.”
Arbeloa also confirmed that it is a matter of taking it day by day with Mbappe. He continued:
“He’ll see how he’s feeling, how he’s recovering, and how things evolve. Right now, it’s best not to set deadlines. It’s a matter of day-to-day discomforts, and we need to assess his sensations. Based on that, we’ll decide. We want him back at 100%, and when that happens, he’ll return.”
Mbappe will be very cautious, given that this is a World Cup year. He will want to be in perfect shape for the marquee tournament in the United States as he looks to reach a third consecutive final with France.
However, Real Madrid have important games on the horizon, including a two-legged tie against Manchester City in the Champions League. Beating Pep Guardiola’s side over two legs is never easy, and without Mbappe, it becomes even more complicated.
The silver lining, if any, from a Real Madrid perspective, is that Mbappe’s absence has coincided with Vinicius Jr’s best form this season. The Brazilian has been playing very well in recent weeks and will need to become even more clinical to compensate for the Frenchman.
It remains to be seen how Real Madrid manage Mbappe’s injury and when he actually returns to action. It will be an important decision that could make or break their season, so let’s wait and see how things play out.
