Kylian Mbappe has suffered another frustrating setback after missing Real Madrid’s crucial El Clasico clash against Barcelona.
Real Madrid initially expected the French superstar to return from his hamstring injury for Sunday night’s massive title showdown at Camp Nou.
Mbappe trained ahead of the game and appeared ready to feature. However, discomfort during the final training session forced him to pull out at the last moment.
According to MARCA, several members of the Real Madrid coaching staff were surprised by the late decision.
Without Mbappe, Real Madrid fell to defeat against Barcelona, a result that officially handed the La Liga title to their rivals.
Now, uncertainty is growing around whether Mbappe will play again before the end of the season.
Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa admitted he is unsure about the forward’s condition after the match. Arbeloa said:
“I don’t know. Two weeks remain, and depending on how he evolves from the discomfort he currently has, we’ll see if he can play or not.”
The Madrid boss also revealed he wanted Mbappe fully fit for El Clasico.
“I would have liked him to be 100% and able to play from the start. That’s what I really would have liked,” he added.
Real Madrid still have three league matches remaining against Real Oviedo, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao.
However, reports in Spain suggest Mbappe could avoid taking any risks before the upcoming World Cup with France.
Despite Madrid’s disappointing season, the French forward has still delivered outstanding individual numbers with 41 goals and six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
At the same time, speculation around the dressing room atmosphere at the Bernabeu continues to grow.
Reports have suggested tensions exist between several players following a difficult campaign that saw Real Madrid fail to challenge strongly in Europe and lose the league title to Barcelona.
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