Real Madrid's hopes of catching La Liga leaders Barcelona have been dealt a severe blow with the news that star forward Kylian Mbappe has suffered a knee injury.
Medical Diagnosis and Timeline
The Spanish giants confirmed the setback on Wednesday, stating that medical tests diagnosed the French superstar with a sprain in his left knee. While the club's official statement said the player's condition was "awaiting evolution," a source close to Mbappe revealed to AFP that he is expected to be absent for a minimum of three weeks.
The 27-year-old trained with the squad on Tuesday, but the exact moment of the injury was not disclosed. He subsequently underwent an MRI scan on Wednesday which confirmed the sprain.
Implications for Crucial Fixtures
Mbappe's absence creates a significant void in Real Madrid's attack at a critical juncture of the season. The team trails Barcelona by four points in the league table.
He is almost certain to miss Sunday's league match against Real Betis, which marks the team's return from the winter break. His participation in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against rivals Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia on January 8 is now in serious doubt.
Further fixtures he could miss include a La Liga encounter with Levante and a UEFA Champions League clash against his former club, AS Monaco.
The Scale of the Loss for Los Merengues
Losing Mbappe is a monumental setback for coach Xabi Alonso. The Frenchman has been in phenomenal form, often carrying the team's attacking burden and relieving pressure on the manager.
In a stellar 2025, Mbappe equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's club record of 59 goals in a single calendar year. He is the current leading scorer in La Liga with 18 goals, seven clear of his nearest challenger, Barcelona's Ferran Torres.
Since his high-profile free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain 18 months ago, Mbappe has scored 73 goals in 83 appearances for Real Madrid. He was also last season's Pichichi winner, netting 31 league goals.
His injury compounds an existing absentee crisis at the Santiago Bernabeu. The list of unavailable players includes defenders Daniel Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielder Federico Valverde, and forward Brahim Diaz, who is representing Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.
