Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa confirmed that the club has decided to rest Kylian Mbappe for a “not-so-short” period due to injury.
Mbappe left Real Madrid’s final training session ahead of the Benfica match due to knee pain, an old injury from which he has not fully recovered since last December.
“We spoke with the player and the doctors, and we believe the best decision is to give him rest until he fully recovers,” Arbeloa said in a statement before Wednesday’s Benfica game.
“I can’t confirm the length of his absence, but it certainly won’t be just a few days; it will be longer than that. I hope it won’t be too long, but I can’t reveal the exact duration.”
French media outlets have indicated that Mbappe could be sidelined for two weeks to a month to ensure a full recovery and prevent further injury.
Mbappe fears any setback that could jeopardize his participation in the 2026 World Cup with the French national team, so he decided not to push himself further and to get the necessary rest.
The 27-year-old striker tops Real Madrid’s scoring charts this season, having scored 38 goals, including 23 in the league and 13 in the Champions League.
