‘Better not to set deadlines’ – Arbeloa gives update on Mbappe injury

Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has refused to put a timetable on Kylian Mbappe’s return as the French forward continues to nurse an injury ahead of the club’s pivotal UEFA Champions League meeting with Manchester City. Speaking to the media, Arbeloa stressed that setting a definitive comeback date could prove counter-productive for both the player and the squad.

Mbappe, the team’s headline summer signing, has been sidelined with an unspecified problem, leaving question marks over his availability for the heavyweight European encounter. When pressed for clarity, Arbeloa replied: “Better not to set deadlines,” underlining the club’s cautious approach to the 25-year-old’s rehabilitation.

With the tie against City looming large, Real Madrid’s medical staff are continuing daily assessments, but the coaching staff appear determined to avoid any rush that might jeopardise the striker’s long-term fitness. Arbeloa’s update offered little in the way of concrete detail, yet it confirmed that the decision on Mbappe’s readiness will be taken strictly on medical advice rather than external pressure.

The uncertainty adds an extra layer of intrigue to a fixture already billed as one of the season’s most anticipated, as Real Madrid prepare to host the English champions without a definitive answer on whether their star attacker will feature.