Mbappé out for Benfica clash after ligament injury setback | OneFootball

Amid a tense atmosphere caused by the media conflict between Vinícius and Gianluca Prestianni, Real Madrid suffered a major sporting blow: Kylian Mbappé was left out of the squad for the second leg of the Champions League playoffs against Benfica. According to L’Équipe, the French forward had to leave Tuesday’s training session after experiencing severe pain in his left knee, which forced coach Álvaro Arbeloa to rest him.

The origin of the problem dates back to December 7, during a match against Celta de Vigo, where he suffered an injury to his external lateral ligament.

Although doctors recommended three weeks of rest, the player returned to competition just 11 days later. Since then, the accumulation of minutes in the Super Cup, the elimination in the Copa del Rey against Albacete, and the lack of rest may have caused lingering effects in the area. According to Marca, the coaching staff is now aiming for a full recovery by the second week of March, depending on whether the team advances to the next round.

Tension in the locker room and ongoing controversies

The absence of the “7” is not the only source of conflict. It has emerged that the player is reportedly upset with the club over how his initial rehabilitation process was handled, believing that his early return was forced.

Meanwhile, Mbappé has become embroiled in the racist controversy shaking the locker room after the clash between Vinícius and Prestianni. The Frenchman is said to have defended his teammate with disparaging remarks towards the young Argentine.

On the other hand, the Madrid camp was also affected by recent insults from José Luis Chilavert towards the club’s goalkeepers; although Mbappé did not comment on the matter, Thibaut Courtois did publicly express his disapproval in solidarity with his colleagues.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.