Real Madrid receives shocking news about Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe will have to take a break from playing following the diagnosis of a knee injury.

According to L’Equipe, Mbappe has been playing with a knee ligament issue for several weeks and initially believed the injury was not serious, feeling he could still manage to play. However, the latest MRI results revealed ligament damage requiring treatment and a minimum rest period of three weeks.

This forces Mbappe to accept that continuing to play is unsustainable, especially as the forward has increasingly felt limitations in his acceleration during recent matches. Warning signs had actually appeared earlier, when the French star was even left out of the squad for the Real Madrid match against Man City in the Champions League. Despite his highly competitive spirit, Mbappe was advised to stop now to avoid the risk of more severe long-term injury.

Real Madrid has officially confirmed Mbappe’s condition. After medical examinations, the 1998-born player was diagnosed with a left knee sprain, and his recovery process will be closely monitored.

This diagnosis came just days after what should have been a perfect moment. Mbappe celebrated his 27th birthday impressively by scoring a penalty in the final minutes, securing a 2-0 victory for Real Madrid over Sevilla at Bernabeu. This was also Mbappe’s 59th club goal in the calendar year, allowing him to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring record from 2013, a milestone once considered very difficult to reach at Real Madrid.

The injury means Mbappe will definitely miss Real Madrid’s first official match of 2026, an away game against Real Betis this weekend. More seriously, he will also be absent from the Spanish Super Cup held in the Middle East.

For coach Xabi Alonso, this was an early chance to win his first title as Real Madrid’s manager. Instead, the Spanish strategist will have to plan without his key star as the Royal team faces Atletico Madrid in the semifinals and potentially Barcelona in the final.

Mbappe is also expected to miss the La Liga match against Levante on January 17, adding to Real Madrid’s congested domestic schedule.

Nevertheless, Real Madrid’s management hopes Mbappe’s recovery period will not be prolonged. If all goes well, he could return on January 21 in the Champions League match against AS Monaco at Bernabeu.