Real Madrid Forward Has Been Playing Through Pain Since December

Madrid—Real Madrid’s injury list has lengthened this winter, and now it appears that star forward Kylian Mbappé has been added to the catalogue of walking wounded. According to a detailed report by The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana and Guillermo Rai, Mbappé sustained a blow to his left knee during the La Liga meeting with Celta Vigo on 7 December and has continued to feature for the club despite persistent discomfort.

The revelation comes amid an already bleak medical bulletin at the Bernabéu. Centre-back Éder Militão has been sidelined since December and is not expected back before April, while Jude Bellingham’s recovery from a February setback is following a similar timeline. Rodrygo’s season ended abruptly on Monday night when he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in the defeat to Getafe, and Mbappé himself was forced off in the 3-1 loss to Osasuna on 21 February, casting doubt over his availability for the upcoming Champions League round-of-16 showdown with Manchester City.

Club sources told The Athletic that the forward’s outing against Talavera in the Copa del Rey triggered internal discussions about workload management, partly to preserve his chance of surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals in a calendar year for the club. Nevertheless, Mbappé kept playing through the pain until the Osasuna match forced him to stop.

Medical staff remain unable to offer a definitive prognosis. On some days the 27-year-old reports no symptoms; on others the knee swells and stiffens, making sharp movements problematic. With the first leg versus City looming, the uncertainty places added pressure on coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who must plan for Europe’s premier tie without knowing whether his marquee attacker will be ready.

There are flickers of optimism inside the dressing room. One senior source indicated that Mbappé is “feeling calmer about the situation” and now “has a clear plan to follow,” though that assessment sits in contrast to the fluctuating nature of the injury described elsewhere in the report.

Last season Mbappé’s hat-trick at the Etihad propelled Madrid past City in the play-off round. This term he watched the first-leg defeat from the bench, unable to influence proceedings. The club’s hopes of overturning the deficit may hinge on his return, yet the player—mindful of the World Cup kicking off in under three months—is understood to be unwilling to gamble on his long-term fitness.

For now, Madrid’s medical department will continue to monitor the knee day-by-day, while Arbeloa weighs up whether to risk Mbappé or press ahead without him. The next fortnight will determine whether the Frenchman can reprise his role as City’s tormentor or must wait on the sidelines while others try to salvage the tie.