Real Madrid medical turmoil, Mbappé knee row, Bellingham shoulder, Rodrygo ACL, Courtois setback, ChatGPT claims | OneFootball

Niko Mihic’s return to lead Real Madrid’s medical department has reignited unrest, with scrutiny of care since 2023. Brought back by Florentino Pérez after leaving in 2023, his unit have seen six anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in the first team.

RMC claims that Madrid’s doctors examined Kylian Mbappé’s right knee in December while his pain was in the left. The forward then sought a second opinion in Paris with specialist Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet and completed his recovery, later saying he lacked a diagnosis until recently and now feels fully recovered.

Earlier controversies include Jude Bellingham’s left-shoulder management, which ended in surgery after months playing in pain. A February hamstring issue took him to London, initially billed as one month out but stretching to nearly eight weeks before brief derby minutes against Atlético.

The club also lost nutritionist Itziar González, who alleged staff undermined her work, isolated her and later dismissed her. She said players she guided privately felt less fatigue and pain, and alleged ChatGPT was used to decide vitamin supplements.

Thibaut Courtois suffered a warm-up strain before Manchester City, still started, then was replaced by Andriy Lunin at half-time, and the next day a tear was diagnosed that rules him out for six weeks. Rodrygo Goes, allowed to continue for about 30 minutes after being hurt against Getafe, now has an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and an external meniscus tear in his right knee, ending his season and World Cup hopes and sidelining him until 2027.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo