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Real Madrid caretaker boss Álvaro Arbeloa has disclosed that early medical assessments on Kylian Mbappé indicated the French striker was unlikely to be fit in time for this weekend's Clásico against Barcelona, which sheds light on why he was allowed to take a short break in Italy rather than stay in Madrid to focus on his rehabilitation.
Mbappé picked up a muscular injury during the recent 1–1 stalemate with Real Betis. Madrid confirmed that their top scorer had sustained a hamstring strain, ruling him out of Sunday's league fixture against Espanyol and casting serious doubt over his availability for the May 10 showdown with Barcelona.
Early indications had suggested Mbappé could make a quick recovery. However, this only left supporters puzzled when they saw their star striker fly off on a brief getaway outside of Spain and away from Madrid's medical facilities. As Arbeloa would later clarify over the weekend, the prospect of Mbappé recovering in time for the derby was never considered a realistic possibility.
"With Mbappé, we'll see how he's doing this week," the interim manager told reporters following Sunday's 2–0 win over Espanyol. "After last week's tests, it seemed like it might take a bit longer, but we'll see how things develop."
Nonetheless, Mbappé's very public travels have sparked considerable frustration among Madrid supporters—and reportedly even within the squad itself.
'I Can't'—How Real Madrid's Manager, Players Have Reacted to Mbappé's Trip
When pressed about Mbappé's Italian getaway, Arbeloa gave a deliberately measured response, stressing that he had no authority over decisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the club's medical team.
"All planning for injured players is supervised and managed by Real Madrid's medical staff, who are the ones who decide when they need to go to Valdebebas and when they don't," Arbeloa stated plainly. "Beyond that, each player does what he sees fit in his free time, and I can't get involved in that."
The manager was also asked whether Vinicius Junior demonstrated greater professionalism than Mbappé. The question came at a particularly sensitive moment; Mbappé was photographed touching down in Madrid just 12 minutes before kickoff in Real's match against Espanyol, a game the hosts won courtesy of a Vinicius Jr. double.
Rather than deflecting with a straightforward answer, Arbeloa responded: "I don't make comparisons between players. We need everyone. To win any match, you need the commitment of all the players. It bothers me when we see that every other team runs more than we do, not just when we don't have the ball, but also when we're in possession. We need everyone's commitment to press, to defend, to attack."
Those inside Real Madrid are said to be "confused" rather than angered by Mbappé's conduct, according to AS. A temporary escape from the intense spotlight of Madrid is understandable for such a high-profile player with little prospect of playing anytime soon, yet his choice to travel so openly is viewed as "strange" by some at the club.
Arbeloa, without directing his comments at Mbappé in particular, delivered a message to the entire squad: "Talent alone isn't enough."
"We haven't built Real Madrid with players who walk onto the pitch dressed in tuxedos," he said memorably, "but with players who finish the game with their shirts soaked in sweat, mud, effort, sacrifice and perseverance."