Kylian Mbappe Sidelined: The Shocking Reason Behind His Absence from Real Madrid's Clash Against Atletico
Real Madrid will face their city rivals Atlético Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals without their top scorer Kylian Mbappé.
Spain's opening major silverware of the 2025–26 season awaits in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as the new year begins. Barcelona have already secured their place in the final following an impressive 5–0 triumph over Athletic Club, with the Catalan side now awaiting their Madrid-based opponents for Sunday's showdown.
Los Blancos are eager to set up a Clásico encounter for the Spanish Super Cup title, but they must first overcome Atlético Madrid on Thursday at Alinma Bank Stadium. This presents a significant hurdle for Xabi Alonso's squad, who suffered an embarrassing defeat to their city neighbors in September.
The challenge becomes even more daunting without Mbappé spearheading Real Madrid's offensive line.
Why Is Kylian Mbappé Not Playing Against Atlético Madrid?
Mbappé is dealing with a knee problem that occurred after the holiday period ended. The French striker returned to practice only to be sent directly to the medical facility, where doctors confirmed a left knee sprain on New Year's Eve.
Following his absence from Los Blancos' 5–1 triumph against Real Betis over the weekend, Mbappé underwent a final fitness assessment for the derby, which he was unable to pass. The 27-year-old striker did not make the journey with the squad to Jeddah, eliminating him from the Spanish Super Cup semifinals and potentially the final if Real Madrid progresses.
Missing Mbappé for this tournament represents a significant setback for Alonso's team. The French star tops the squad with 29 goals in 2025–26, frequently driving Real Madrid's offensive efforts across all tournaments. Notably, the team's next highest scorers this campaign are Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, both with just five goals each.
The responsibility will fall on these two players, alongside Gonzalo García and Rodrygo, to compensate for Mbappé's offensive contribution on Thursday night if they hope to secure their place in the Spanish Super Cup final.
When Will Kylian Mbappé Return for Real Madrid?
Real Madrid has not provided an exact timeline for Mbappé's comeback, but sources suggest the star striker requires a minimum of three weeks for full recovery, targeting a possible return against Villarreal on Jan. 25.
Mbappé would consequently be sidelined for almost all of January for the Spanish club, missing the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey round of 16 match against Albacete, a La Liga fixture with Levante and a Champions League encounter with Monaco.
The positive aspect for the 15-time European champions is that they should manage comfortably against their lower-division Copa del Rey opponents, bottom-dwelling Levante and a struggling Monaco team, even in Mbappé's absence.
The most crucial matches will be against Atlético Madrid in Jeddah and possibly Barcelona just three days afterward.