Kylian Mbappé’s Injury Update
Kylian Mbappé’s status is uncertain after he sustained a mild ankle sprain during Real Madrid’s victory against Villarreal, which ended 3-1 on Saturday. Head coach Xabi Alonso disclosed that Mbappé was taken off the field in the 83rd minute, shortly after netting Madrid’s third goal—his ninth consecutive match with a goal, marking a personal best for both club and country.
Upcoming Matches and National Team Concerns
The team will next compete on October 19, as LaLiga enters a break to accommodate international fixtures. Alonso addressed concerns over Mbappé’s physical condition in his post-match press conference, stating,
“I can’t confirm that he will not join the national team. He is currently experiencing some discomfort and will be assessed further with the French squad.”
Coach Alonso expressed hope that the injury is not severe, though the uncertainty remains.
France is scheduled to face Azerbaijan for World Cup qualifiers on Friday and will play against Iceland three days later.
Match Highlights and Team Dynamics
In the same match against Villarreal, Mbappé notably chose not to take a penalty kick after Vinícius Júnior was fouled, allowing his teammate to convert the spot-kick instead. Despite this, Alonso clarified that Mbappé is still considered the primary penalty taker:
“They decided among themselves, but Kylian is our designated taker. We trust him.”
Alonso also commended Federico Valverde‘s performance at right-back, especially as Valverde recently faced rumors about refusing to play in that role. The coach highlighted Vinícius Júnior’s significant contribution to the match, noting,
“Vini had an excellent performance. I love seeing him happy and enjoying the game. He came close to scoring a hat trick, which would have capped off a stellar showing.”
