Kylian Mbappe has picked up quite some pace after having a somewhat slow start to his career at Real Madrid. The Frenchman continued his goalscoring streak in last night’s match against Alaves, as he scored his best goal in a Merengue white shirt up to now.
However, there was also a worrisome episode with him, as he asked for a substitution in the final phase of the game. After the game, Ancelotti assured the press that Mbappe was not suffering from any serious issues.
However, the Real Madrid head coach’s assessment has been proven wrong, as MARCA reports that detailed tests on him undertaken today show that the Frenchman is suffering from a muscle problem in his left hamstring.
Real Madrid also confirmed this with an official statement, and although they have not provided a time frame for his recovery, this type of injury usually keeps players out of action for around three weeks.
Thus, Mbappe is expected to miss the upcoming Madrid derby, and might not be able to play before the next international break. In such a scenario, he will miss the matches against Atletico Madrid, Lille, and Villarreal.
The match against Atletico Madrid was going to be Mbappe’s first big match in a Real Madrid shirt. He has also never faced the Mattress Makers in his entire career and would have been looking forward to leaving a mark in this derby.
With Mbappe unavailable, Ancelotti will have to make a decision on whom to start in a game as important as the Madrid derby. He can either start Endrick in Mbappe’s position or incorporate Guler to reinforce the midfield while playing with Rodrygo and Vinicius upfront.
Another option would be to play Bellingham higher up the pitch, but this will only be possible if Camavinga returns to take a midfield spot.