Kylian Mbappé sustained a thigh injury against Alavés that will keep him on the sidelines for at least three of Real Madrid's upcoming matches, including the Madrid derby.
After a slow start to his Real Madrid career, Mbappé was just finding his rhythm for Los Blancos when the club announced his injury. "Following tests carried out today by Real Madrid's Medical Services on our player Kylian Mbappé, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg. His progress will be monitored," Real Madrid said in a statement.
Mbappé already bagged seven goals in nine appearances for Real Madrid, including one in Los Blancos' 3–2 victory over Alavés. When the Frenchman came off the pitch in the 80th minute, it looked like nothing more than a precautionary sub. Further tests said otherwise.
Here's the latest on Mbappé's injury.
When Will Kylian Mbappé Return From Injury?
Real Madrid did not give a definitive timetable for Mbappé's return, but the striker is expected to be out for at least three weeks, per ESPN. As he recovers, the 25-year-old will miss La Liga matches against Atlético Madrid and Villarreal as well as Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Lille.
Mbappé could also miss France's upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel and Belgium should he stay back from international duty.
As of now, the target date for Mbappé's return is Real Madrid's first La Liga fixture after the international break. Celta Vigo hosts Los Blancos on Saturday, Oct. 19, before Ancelotti's side plays Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Even if he suffers a minor setback in recovery, Mbappé should have no issues returning by Saturday, Oct. 26, for the first El Clásico of the season.
Potential Kylian Mbappé Replacements for Real Madrid
The only natural replacement for Mbappé at Ancelotti's disposal is Endrick. The 18-year-old is the one true striker Real Madrid has on the bench should Ancelotti want to stick with a 4-3-3.
Endrick has yet to start for Los Blancos, though, and has played just 47 minutes across seven appearances for the club. It is not impossible, but the Brazilian will likely not get the nod between Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, especially with such important fixtures coming up.
Instead, Ancelotti will likely opt for a 4-4-2 with Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni and possibly Eduardo Camavinga in the midfield. Should Camavinga require more time on the sidelines to recover from his knee injury, expect Luka Modrić to round out the midfield.
Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo will have the pressure to deliver up top as Mbappé recovers. Losing the Frenchman is undoubtedly a blow to Real Madrid's attack, but the team won the 2024 Champions League final with the Brazilian duo leading the line. Now, Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo must return to last season's tactics until their new teammate comes back.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kylian Mbappé Injury: Progress & Potential Return Date for Real Madrid Striker.