Kylian Mbappe won’t return to action for Real Madrid at the weekend against Levante in La Liga according to L’Equipe, in what will come as a fresh blow to struggling head coach Alvarao Arbeloa.
The French outlet says that the pain in Mbappe’s left knee is diminishing, but the Ballon d’Or hopeful still isn’t fit enough to play a game at the elite level meaning he will have to sit out Arbeloa’s maiden league match as first team manager at the Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon.
Mbappe missed the Spanish Super Cup semifinal over Atletico Madrid last week with the same knock, and was on the bench for the decider against bitter rival FC Barcelona on Sunday.
With around a quarter of an hour to spare after Raphinha put the Catalans ahead 3-2, Mbappe came off the bench but failed to help his team find an equalizer in what proved to be the fired Xabi Alonso’s last match in charge.
Mbappe was widely-criticized for not following Alonso’s orders to form a guard of honour for the victor, as well as seemingly advising his teammates to follow suit in rebellion.
Less than 24 hours after the defeat, Alonso and Madrid parted ways by “mutual consent”, and Arbeloa stepped into the hotseat.
For his first match in charge against Second Division opposition, Arbeloa left Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham at home, and was criticized for his line up of youngsters, substitutes and a few stars which suffered a huge upset in Albacete.
Knocked out of the Copa del Rey last 16 by another 3-2 scoreline, Los Blancos have just La Liga and the Champions League to focus on now amid reports that President Florentino Perez is already looking for a replacement for Arbeloa.
Mbappe absence is a blow for Real Madrid and Arbeloa
Given his 29 goals in 25 games this season, Mbappe’s absence is a blow for his team and manager, who might have hoped that the striker could help lead Madrid to victory against relegation-threatened Levante while in turn perhaps getting fans back onside in the Bernabeu.
Instead, Arbeloa will once more have to pick Gonzalo Garcia, who has stepped up in the last two matches with equalizers to make it 2-2 against both Barca and Albacete for Real Madrid.
