It wouldn’t be a typical Real Madrid season if the squad weren’t riddled with injuries to key players, leaving the matchday squad looking like a hodgepodge and costing the team key results on any given weekend. This has been something fans have had to get used to since the 2020/21 season, and it’s starting to become tiresome.
This season alone, Jude Bellingham, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo, and summer signing Trent Alexander-Arnold, among others, have all spent time on the sidelines. These setbacks have drastically affected the team’s consistency, and it could prove to be the difference between winning silverware or enduring yet another trophyless season.
The last thing Álvaro Arbeloa needs is another injury to a cornerstone of the project as we head into the crucial winter months. Unfortunately for Los Blancos, the most important player of the campaign, Kylian Mbappé, has been struck with another setback.
The Latest on Mbappé
As reported by journalist Carlos Rodriguez, Mbappé has failed to train with the rest of the squad for two consecutive days. He remains a major doubt for this weekend’s match against Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu as he continues to struggle with persistent discomfort in his left knee.+1
The Frenchman already missed two matches in January due to this issue before rushing his return for the Spanish Super Cup on January 11th. That move now looks like it might have been premature, as the sprain he suffered back in December continues to flare up. While he has been pushing through the pain to lead the line, it seems the discomfort has finally become too much to manage.
A Season on His Shoulders
Mbappé has far and away been the best and most important player this season. He has effectively put the team on his back, bagging a staggering 38 goals across all competitions—nearly 50% of the team’s total output. He is arguably the sole reason behind almost all of our victories this season.+1
| Competition | Goals | Assists |
| La Liga | 23 | 4 |
| Champions League | 13 | 1 |
| Other | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 38 | 5 |
Looking Ahead: The Benfica Factor
Missing a clash the size of La Real is a significant blow, especially as we sit just one point behind Barcelona in the title race. However, the even bigger concern is the Champions League playoff clash against Benfica next Tuesday, February 17th.
With Bellingham expected to be out until April and Rodrygo also fighting for fitness, the squad is stretched thin. In some ways, missing the Sociedad game could be a blessing in disguise; it would allow Mbappé extra days to recover for the trip to Lisbon.
Arbeloa will at least welcome back Vinicius Junior from suspension to lead the attack, and Trent Alexander-Arnold may be fit enough to start after his recent cameo against Valencia. But without our #9, the mountain gets a lot steeper.
[…] is in the form of his life, having found the back of the net in six consecutive La Liga matchdays. Despite some mid-week rumors of knee discomfort, he has trained with the group and is confirmed for the starting […]