Kylian Mbappé has managed to establish himself as one of Real Madrid’s best players, currently standing as the team’s top scorer. However, he was diagnosed with a sprained left knee, ruling him out for several matches. After deciding to undergo treatment in France, he was reportedly diagnosed with a more severe injury. As a result, Mbappe could now face a longer recovery timeline than initially expected.
According to Antón Meana on El Larguero, Kylian Mbappé’s injury is more complex than initially expected, as his left posterior cruciate ligament is reportedly at its limit. With this in mind, the French forward would need to use the remaining 100 days before the 2026 World Cup to recover fully, which would rule him out for the rest of the season. Despite this, Real Madrid do not share the same view being reported from the player’s inner circle.
While Mbappé’s close camp is allegedly emphasizing the seriousness of the injury, Los Blancos are said to be far more optimistic. In fact, they reportedly believe the player could return in time for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Manchester City. However, the Frenchman’s entourage denies this information, making it clear that he would not take any risk of suffering a relapse.
In case Kylian’s absence for the rest of the season is confirmed, Real Madrid would suffer a real blow to their season’s objectives. To face the Citizens, coach Álvaro Arbeloa will be without Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, following his season-ending ACL injury, Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham, and possibly the Frenchman. On top of this, Los Blancos are not at their best, having been defeated by Getafe and raising doubts about their competitiveness.
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid during the Spanish Super Cup Final against FC Barcelona.
Mbappe reported injury extent explained by sports therapist
Kylian Mbappé has been suffering from knee problems since mid-December 2025, causing him to miss two games. Although he managed to maintain his scoring pace, the Frenchman had to stop playing after being diagnosed with a sprained left knee by Real Madrid. However, he is reportedly suffering from a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament. In light of this, a physiotherapist specializing in sports injuries explains the extent of this supposed injury.
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As explained by expert Ángel Villanueva via X (formerly Twitter), the posterior cruciate ligament is the main restraint that prevents the tibia from moving backward in relation to the femur. If it is partially torn, it loses its ability to stabilize the joint. As a result, the knee may feel unstable when braking or turning, fail during explosive actions, and lose efficiency in accelerations. He also outlined a recovery timeline of between 16 and 24 weeks.
Despite this, Real Madrid have not issued a new medical report on Kylian Mbappé’s injury status. As it stands, the Frenchman has only been diagnosed by the club with a sprained left knee, leaving reports of a more serious injury to information published by journalists. With that in mind, the 27-year-old striker’s recovery timeline remains within the parameters initially set by the club, pending any new medical update should it become necessary.
