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Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe during a game against Osasuna in February 2026
Injury concerns surrounding Kylian Mbappe are threatening to disrupt Real Madrid’s momentum at a critical stage of the season.
With their talisman sidelined, Los Blancos have stumbled, suffering a dip in form that has tightened the La Liga title race.
On Monday, without Mbappe due to a knee issue, Madrid fell 1-0 at home to Getafe, leaving them four points behind league leaders Barcelona.
It marked their second consecutive league defeat, following a 2-1 loss away to Osasuna on February 21, the last match Mbappe featured in.
Real Madrid Await Clarity on Mbappe’s Knee Issue
According to The Athletic’s Guillermo Rai, Mario Cortegana and Nnamdi Onyeagwara, Mbappe has been managing knee discomfort dating back to December.
The issue has lingered in the background for months, leading to missed matches in January and February before prompting a more cautious approach in early March.
During Monday’s defeat, the club confirmed that “additional tests are being carried out in order to assess the progress of his knee injury,” which has been classified as a knee sprain.
Rai, Cortegana and Onyeagwara further reported that Mbappe’s camp does not expect surgery at this stage, a development that will offer some reassurance inside the Bernabeu.
“Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is in Paris for additional tests and treatment on his left knee injury but is not expecting to undergo surgery at this time, his camp have told The Athletic,” they wrote.
Mbappe has been instrumental to Madrid’s campaign, scoring 23 goals in 23 La Liga appearances and 38 in 33 matches across all competitions. He has also added eight goals for France this season.
Avoiding surgery is significant. A procedure would likely have ruled him out for months, potentially ending his campaign. For now, there remains cautious optimism that his absence may be shorter than initially feared.
Champions League Tie Looms Amid Growing Concern
Across Europe’s top leagues, only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has outscored Mbappe for club and country this season, amassing 60 goals, including 30 in 24 Bundesliga matches.
Kane recently netted twice in Bayern’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund, extending their lead at the summit to 11 points.
Madrid, meanwhile, are navigating a far more delicate moment.
Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has indicated that Mbappe’s recovery will not be immediate, casting doubt over his availability for the Champions League Round of 16 first-leg clash against Manchester City on March 11.
“It was a bit of a consensus between everyone, and we think the best thing is that he stops, that he recovers and comes back at 100%,” Arbeloa said, via TNT Sports. “It is not going to be a question of days, it will be a bit longer, but I cannot say how long. Hopefully not too long.”
“I believe it is better not to set deadlines right now. It is basically some discomfort he is suffering that we have to assess daily to see how he is feeling and, based on that, we will make decisions.”
Before the European showdown with City, Madrid travel to face Celta Vigo on Friday, seeking to halt a two-game losing streak without their leading scorer.
With the title race tightening and a defining Champions League tie approaching, Real Madrid’s season may hinge on how quickly Mbappe can return, and in what condition.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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