Mbappé's Dodgy Knee Leaves Madrid in a Pickle Ahead of City Showdown
Kylian Mbappé's knee sprain has Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa playing it cool, insisting recovery is on track despite no return date and likely absence for the Champions League tie vs Manchester City. With Jude Bellingham also out till April and recent league slips leaving them trailing Barcelona, Arbeloa calls for patience with young guns like Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono. A month on the sidelines looms, prioritising the World Cup over risks.
Mbappé's Dodgy Knee Leaves Madrid in a Pickle Ahead of City Showdown
Right, let's crack on with the latest from the Bernabéu bunker. Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa is putting a brave face on Kylian Mbappé's nagging left knee sprain, calling it 'all good news' despite the French wizard being sidelined indefinitely. As reported by Alex Kirkland at ESPN Spain, the injury – confirmed this week – has dogged Mbappé since December, and there's no firm comeback date yet.
Arbeloa's been chatting with his star forward daily, insisting things are 'under control' and improving bit by bit. It's a cautious, day-by-day approach based on how Mbappé feels. With massive games looming, like Friday's trip to Celta Vigo in LaLiga, the Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Manchester City next week, a clash with Elche, and the return leg on March 17, fans are chewing their nails.
Arbeloa's Glass-Half-Full Vibes and Injury Juggling Act
Mbappé sat out last week's Champions League playoff second leg versus Benfica and Monday's grim 1-0 home defeat to Getafe, which dropped Madrid four points behind Barcelona in the title scrap. The lads have now lost back-to-back LaLiga games, including to Osasuna, and Arbeloa admits defeats sting at a club like Madrid.
"While we can fight mathematically, we'll do it," he declared defiantly. But it's not just Mbappé nursing woes. Jude Bellingham's hamstring has him out till April, and poor Rodrygo is done for the season with a torn ACL, meaning he'll miss the World Cup too. Both big guns jetted off home – Mbappé to Paris, Bellingham to London – for second opinions, but Arbeloa stressed it's all under Madrid's medical team's watchful eye, with French docs backing the conservative plan.
Reports from SPORT via Madrid Universal on OneFootball paint a grimmer picture: Mbappé's likely out for a month, making the City tie a no-go. With the FIFA World Cup on the horizon, he's prioritising long-term fitness over heroics, dodging any risk of surgery. Gym sessions and physio it is, potentially skipping Celta, Elche, Atletico Madrid, and both City legs.
Patience for the Young Guns Amid Fan Frustration
Adding to the headache, summer signings Dean Huijsen (20) and Franco Mastantuono (18) are copping flak from fans and press. Whistles rang out for Huijsen at the Bernabéu recently, and Mastantuono's been scrutinised too.
Arbeloa's having none of it, urging patience like with Vinícius Júnior back in the day – now a two-time Champions League champ and world-beater. "At their age, they could be in the under-19s or Castilla," he shrugged. Fair play, boss – Rome wasn't built in a day, especially not at Madrid.
Madrid's medical crew is on it, international break reassessment incoming, and the aim is a fully fit Mbappé by April. But facing City without him and Bellingham? That's like turning up to a pub quiz without your trivia king. Can the squad rally? Arbeloa reckons so, but it'll test the depth. Stay tuned, lads – this saga's far from over.