Spanish newspaper exposes Kylian Mbappé’s situation at Real Madrid: ‘Impossible’

French star suffers from knee injury.

Real Madrid is facing a race against time and medical logic to try and have Kylian Mbappé available for the Spanish Super Cup . The French striker suffered a sprained left knee, confirmed in tests carried out on December 31st, after training open to the public. The injury definitively rules him out of the match against Betis this Sunday (4), but, according to the Spanish newspaper ” As “, the club is still clinging to a glimmer of hope — internally classified as an “impossible” — to have him on the field in Saudi Arabia.

The injury is the result of accumulated wear and tear: the French player reportedly played 270 minutes — in matches against Alavés, Sevilla, and Talavera — with the joint already injured, until his knee finally gave way. The conventional recovery time for this type of sprain is two to three weeks. However, the club does not completely rule out his presence in the semi-final against Atlético de Madrid on January 8th, or in a possible final on the 11th, betting on a partial recovery that will allow the player to play “through the pain”.

Real Madrid’s urgency in getting Mbappé back is justified by the striker’s overwhelming numbers. Under Xabi Alonso’s management, the Frenchman was responsible for 29 of the team’s 52 goals — a direct contribution to 65.3% of Real Madrid’s goals this season. Furthermore, the star recently equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as the club’s top scorer in a single year, with 59 goals in 2025.

Without the top scorer in La Liga (18 goals) and the Champions League (9), the team loses not only its finishing instinct, but also its main technical leader. Winning the Super Cup is seen as a priority, as it could represent the club’s first trophy since winning the Intercontinental Cup in 2024.

To fill the void left by Mbappé’s absence, coach Xabi Alonso is considering two main alternatives. The first would be the direct inclusion of young Gonzalo García, who shone as the top scorer in the Club World Cup with four goals. The second option would be to revive the “diamond” formation successfully used by Carlo Ancelotti in the past: a Brazilian attacking duo, formed by Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, with Jude Bellingham playing as playmaker.

This tactical change could be an opportunity for the Brazilians to regain prominence, as both have seen their goal tallies drop under Xabi Alonso’s management compared to the Ancelotti era. Combined, Vini and Rodrygo have scored only seven times this season, a number far lower than Mbappé’s performance, who holds the coach’s absolute preference in the attacking scheme.