Real Madrid’s manager Álvaro Arbeloa reported that Kylian Mbappé experienced “discomfort” and requested to be substituted during Friday’s 1-1 draw against Real Betis. This result dealt a significant blow to Madrid’s aspirations in the LaLiga title race.
Vinícius Júnior scored first for the visitors just 17 minutes into the match at La Cartuja, but a late equalizer in the 94th minute from Héctor Bellerín ultimately left Madrid trailing by eight points behind leaders Barcelona, who are set to play against Getafe on Saturday.
Mbappé requested to be substituted late in the game and was taken off in the 81st minute, heading directly to the dressing room and making way for Gonzalo García.
“I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with Mbappé,” Arbeloa stated in the post-match press conference. “He felt some discomfort, and we will monitor his recovery in the coming days.”
Sources informed ESPN that early assessments suggest Mbappé may have sustained a left hamstring strain.
Real Madrid’s next match will be against Espanyol on May 3, followed by a crucial Clásico showdown with Barcelona the following week.
This season, Mbappé has netted 24 goals in 28 league matches.
He is also anticipated to play a vital role for France at the upcoming World Cup, with the team kicking off their tournament on June 16 against Senegal. France has reached the finals in the last two World Cups.
On another note, Madrid has only secured one victory in their last six games across all competitions.
“When matches are this tight, these things can occur,” Arbeloa commented. “We’ve also not had much luck.”
Arbeloa argued that Madrid should have been awarded a penalty when Brahim Díaz‘s shot was blocked by defender Ricardo Rodríguez‘s arm.
“It’s obviously a clear penalty; his arm was out,” the coach emphasized. “There’s not much debate, it’s very clear… Decisions like these have a significant impact on the game.”