Kylian Mbappe is expected to miss Real Madrid’s away match against Villarreal on October 10 as a precaution, according to AS, after suffering a left-knee injury while on international duty with France.
Mbappe sustained the injury during his first international match for the French national team, against Turkey. He hurt his left knee as he scored and immediately ran off holding it in pain. Although he initially wanted to remain on the pitch, he soon stopped and asked to be substituted.
Real Madrid believes that decision prevented the problem from becoming more serious. The club feels that continuing to play could have aggravated the injury, possibly leading to surgery and a significantly longer period of recovery.
Medical examinations carried out in Madrid found that Mbappe had suffered a hyperextension of the posterior joint capsule in his left knee. Real Madrid considers the injury to be minor and expects him to be unavailable for approximately two weeks.
That timescale means the club is not expected to make the Villarreal fixture a target for his return. Real Madrid are also taking into account the importance of El Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou on October 25.
Mbappe was photographed in Paris with his partner and friends during his recovery. Mourinho and his coaching staff approved the trip, while Real Madrid’s medical team also agreed with the arrangement.
The club believes Mbappe currently requires active rest rather than a period spent at the Valdebebas training ground. His rehabilitation has been described as “consensual” and “coordinated”, with the player, coaching staff and medical department working together on the plan.
Mbappe was absent from Real Madrid’s training session at Valdebebas on Thursday. The club intends to increase the intensity of his recovery the following week, but does not want that process to be driven by the possibility of facing Villarreal.
Real Madrid will continue to adopt a cautious approach and avoid taking unnecessary risks with the forward. The priority is to ensure he is fit for the meeting with Barcelona, whether or not he is able to return before then.
All decisions regarding Mbappe’s recovery and availability are being made in coordination with Mourinho.
