Coach Álvaro Arbeloa stated on Sunday that Real Madrid has a “very clear” understanding of Kylian Mbappé‘s knee injury, but acknowledged he remains a doubt for their upcoming match against Manchester City, as the forward has been sidelined indefinitely this week.
Mbappé has been experiencing discomfort in his left knee since before Christmas, prompting Madrid to manage his condition with selective rest periods. Notably, he missed the match against Manchester City in December, the Spanish Supercopa semifinal, and last month’s La Liga victory over Real Sociedad.
While the club has not released an official medical report on the issue, Arbeloa indicated earlier this week, after Mbappé missed the Champions League playoff second leg against Benfica, that the forward’s absence “won’t be a question of days; it will be longer.”
“We are very clear about the situation: we understand what the issue is, and our goal is for him to fully recover,” Arbeloa said during a news conference on Sunday, ahead of Madrid’s league match against Getafe. “Our priority is Mbappé’s complete recovery from this discomfort so that he returns at 100%, feeling secure and confident.”
Following their match against Getafe on Monday, Madrid will face Celta Vigo on Friday, and they will compete against City at the Bernabéu on Wednesday, March 11.
After that, they will play against Elche on March 14, before the return leg in Manchester on March 17. “We will take it day by day,” Arbeloa responded when asked if Mbappé might play against the Premier League leaders. “He has to assess how he feels and how his recovery progresses.”
“At this moment, it’s best not to set a timeline. We’ll evaluate how he feels, and based on that, we’ll make our decision. Our aim is for him to return at full capacity, and only then will he come back.”
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Arbeloa dismissed the notion that players like Mbappé might avoid risking further injury this season as they look ahead to the upcoming World Cup.
“I gave my all for my club during my playing days, and then I did the same for my country,” the former Spain international emphasized. “I can’t comprehend why some players might hold back, thinking of anything other than putting everything they have into Real Madrid.”
“That is the mentality moving forward. There’s no better preparation for the World Cup than excelling with your club.” As Madrid approaches the game against Getafe, they find themselves four points behind title challengers Barcelona, who secured a 4-1 victory over Villarreal on Saturday.