Trailing table-toppers Barcelona by four points, Real Madrid faced a setback on New Year’s Eve with forward Kylian Mbappé suffering an injury to his left knee. The Spanish club confirmed that he is likely to miss the next few matches.
In a brief statement, Madrid announced that the French superstar has been diagnosed with a sprain but did not specify a timeline for his recovery. “Following tests carried out today by the Real Madrid Medical Services on our player Kylian Mbappé, he has been diagnosed with a sprain in his left knee. His progress will be monitored,” the club stated on its official website.
According to French sports daily newspaper L’Equipe, without quoting a source, Mbappé will be unavailable for at least three weeks. The report indicated that he has been dealing with an issue involving the lateral ligament in his knee for several weeks, and an MRI conducted on Wednesday morning revealed a lesion that requires treatment and rest.
Due to the injury, the French star did not participate in the final training session of the year in Madrid. Mbappé’s injury is a significant blow for Real Madrid, as the striker has been in excellent form. Earlier this month, he scored his 59th goal for Madrid in 2025, tying the club record for the most goals in a year held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Since joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2024, Mbappé has netted 29 goals this season, including a league-leading 18 goals in La Liga.
His absence could impact Real Madrid’s progress in the New Year as they gear up to continue their campaign after a short year-end break. The team’s next match is scheduled for Sunday.
With Real Madrid set to face cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid in the second semifinal of the Supercup on January 8 in Jeddah, Mbappé has very little time to recover, making him a major doubt for the competition, which concludes with its final on January 11. There are concerns that Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso may be under pressure, with the team potentially playing for his future without their star player.