Relations between Real Madrid and the French national team have strained significantly after Kylian Mbappé suffered a knee injury during international duty, despite explicit advance warnings from the Spanish club regarding his physical condition.
According to L’Équipe, Mbappé arrived at Les Bleus’ camp experiencing minor discomfort in his left knee. Real Madrid promptly transferred all relevant medical documentation to the French medical staff, requesting that the forward be managed with extreme caution.
Los Blancos’ officials expected France head coach Zinedine Zidane to rest the team captain or restrict his minutes against Turkey. Instead, Zidane named Mbappé in the starting lineup, keeping him on the pitch until the 59th minute, when he was forced off injured shortly after scoring the winning goal.
The decision triggered frustration among Real Madrid’s medical team, who felt their explicit warnings were disregarded—particularly given Mbappé’s recurring issues with his left knee throughout the previous season.
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho swiftly contacted the forward following the setback. In an effort to defuse rising tensions and manage the dispute, Zidane authorized Mbappé’s immediate return to Madrid for comprehensive evaluations rather than keeping him with the national squad.
Initial clinical examinations conducted in Turkey ruled out an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. Real Madrid subsequently diagnosed the injury as a hyperextension of the posterior capsule in his left knee, without publishing an official recovery timeframe.
Spanish sources indicate that Mbappé could face around three weeks on the sidelines. Real Madrid’s medical staff have already initiated a specialized rehabilitation program aimed at getting him fit for October fixtures against Roma and Sevilla, followed by El Clásico against Barcelona on October 25.
Mbappé is set to miss France’s upcoming international matches against Belgium, Italy, and the return fixture against Belgium. Meanwhile, Real Madrid hope the injury will not derail his prolific start to the campaign, having scored eight goals across his first eight official appearances this season.
