Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso acknowledged on Saturday the uncertainty surrounding the return of French star Kylian Mbappé to the pitch following his recent injury. These comments cast a shadow over the club's preparations for crucial upcoming matches, both in La Liga and European competitions.
Injury details and expected timeline
The French striker was diagnosed with a knee injury last Wednesday, and initial medical estimates suggest he will be sidelined for at least three weeks. At a press conference, Alonso, the Spanish coach, said: "We will try to get him back quickly. It depends a lot on how he feels and how his body responds to treatment, but we will try to have him back as soon as possible. When exactly? That's the question I don't have a definitive answer to right now. I don't know.".
Spanish Super Cup challenge in Saudi Arabia
The coach added that he remains hopeful Mbappé will return to participate in the Spanish Super Cup, a tournament that has gained significant global momentum since being moved to Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid will face their arch-rivals Atlético Madrid in the semi-final on January 8 in Riyadh. This tournament is of paramount importance to Spanish clubs, not only for the financial rewards but also because it provides a tremendous morale boost to the winning team to finish the season strongly, especially in the always fiercely contested derby matches.
The impact of the absence of the top scorer
The absence of Kylian Mbappé (27 years old) is a significant blow to Real Madrid's attack, as the French star is the club's top scorer this season with an exceptional 29 goals in all competitions in just 24 matches. This high scoring rate makes replacing him a complex tactical task for coach Marcos Alonso, who will be without his star player for Sunday's La Liga match against Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabéu.
La Liga struggles and coaching pressures
This injury comes at a critical time, with Real Madrid sitting second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, who visit their city rivals Espanyol on Saturday. Any further slip-up by Real could widen the gap and make their title challenge even more difficult. Alonso faced significant media and fan pressure in December due to the team's inconsistent performances, and his future remains uncertain in the coming weeks, as the Bernabéu faithful will accept nothing less than consecutive victories.
Betting on substitutes and Rodrygo's brilliance
Amid these challenges, some bright spots stand out, most notably the impressive form of Brazilian striker Rodrygo at the end of 2025. Alonso is counting heavily on the Brazilian star to fill the goal-scoring gap. Alonso commented, "Rodrygo played some very good matches at the end of the year… We need him now more than ever, just like everyone else. To compensate for the absence of a player of Kylian's caliber, the team must work together, and we have different options, with Rodrygo being one of the most important.".
