Xabi Alonso has expressed uncertainty over Kylian Mbappé’s return to Real Madrid, stating that the club is doing everything possible to have the star forward back from injury “as soon as possible.”
On Wednesday, Madrid announced that Mbappé has been diagnosed with a sprained left knee. Sources informed ESPN that the French international will definitely miss Sunday’s LaLiga match against Real Betis and is also doubtful for next week’s Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia.
This season, Mbappé has netted 29 goals across all competitions for Madrid but has been dealing with discomfort in recent weeks, previously missing a Champions League match against Manchester City in December before making a return for the final three games of 2025.
“We’re going to do our best to minimize the duration of his absence,” Alonso said in a news briefing on Saturday, ahead of the Betis match. “It’s all about how he feels. We’ll do everything we can to get him back quickly, but when exactly that will be? I don’t know.”
Prior to the Betis match, Mbappé had participated in all 18 LaLiga games this season, scoring 18 times. In his last match of 2025, he equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record by scoring 59 goals in a calendar year in a 2-0 win against Sevilla.
Real Madrid will compete against Atlético Madrid in the Supercopa semifinal in Jeddah next Thursday, with a potential final scheduled for the following Sunday.
“In every match, we assess how the player feels and make decisions based on the game’s requirements,” Alonso added. “We’ll do everything we can to bring him back swiftly.”
When asked if it was hard to tell a player like Mbappé to take a break, Alonso responded, “No, it’s easy managing players who always want to help and win. Ultimately, it’s my responsibility to make the decisions, and I accept that.”
Real Madrid managed well without Mbappé for a significant portion of last summer’s Club World Cup, thanks to young forward Gonzalo García, 21, who stepped in effectively.
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“Our approach was flexible with the players we had,” Alonso said on Saturday. “We’ll have to find the best way to fit the pieces together… We will certainly miss him, not only for his goals but also for the impact he has on the team.”
Alonso mentioned that Madrid would stay vigilant during the January transfer window as they aim to improve on a lackluster first half of the season. “It’s our duty to always be aware of how we can enhance our squad, should opportunities arise,” he said. “But we’re content with the current roster.”