Mbappe injury puts Real Madrid on the clock ahead of Super Cup as coach Alonso admits: ‘We’ll push the timelines’
A few days ago, Real Madrid announced that Kylian Mbappe had suffered a knee injury. The news dealt a significant blow to the club’s ambitions, with the Spanish Super Cup looming. Head coach Xabi Alonso addressed the situation and offered an honest assessment.
Initial estimates suggested Mbappe would need around three weeks to recover from the knee sprain, which would rule him out of the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Atletico Madrid, and likely a potential final as well. “We’re going to push the timelines,” Alonso said during Saturday’s press conference, according to Marca.
“We’ll do everything possible to speed up the process and have him ready as soon as possible,” the coach added. “It depends a lot on how he feels… We’ll do everything on our end to get him back as quickly as we can.” When asked about the possibility of seeing the French forward in action soon, Alonso remained optimistic: “The Super Cup? That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Mbappe’s injury occurred on December 31, while the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Atletico Madrid is scheduled for January 8. That means the forward would need to cut his initially projected recovery time in half to be fit for the match.
That scenario appears unlikely, but the idea of Mbappe featuring in a potential Spanish Super Cup final—possibly against Barcelona—seems more realistic. That match is set for January 11, giving the forward three additional days to recover compared to the semifinal.
Xabi Alonso discusses Mbappe’s importance
The fact that Real Madrid are even considering accelerating Kylian Mbappe’s recovery to have him available for the Spanish Super Cup speaks volumes about his importance to the team. Alonso acknowledged as much, saying: “We’ll definitely miss him because his performances have been incredible, as has his influence.”
It is already confirmed that the French star will be unavailable for Sunday’s La Liga match against Real Betis. “We have other players now, and we need to find the best way to fit the pieces together,” Alonso explained. “We have to put a lot of trust in whoever plays tomorrow and in the next match in the Super Cup. Team spirit is fundamental.”
Who will replace Mbappe?
Up to this point, Kylian Mbappe had been a starter in 24 of Real Madrid’s 25 matches this season across La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League. The only exception came against Manchester City in European competition, when he remained on the bench due to physical discomfort.
However, the knee injury suffered this week forces Xabi Alonso to plan without his biggest star. To make matters more complicated, the center forward position was further depleted this winter by Endrick’s departure to Olympique Lyonnais. That leaves Gonzalo Garcia as the only natural replacement for Mbappe, and he is the most likely choice to start against Betis on Sunday.