Real Madrid CF forward Kylian Mbappe endured one of his quietest performances of the season in the recent clash with CA Osasuna, raising fresh concerns about his physical condition, Idman.Biz reports.
Although Mbappe had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside and provided a pass to Vinicius Junior, his overall display lacked the sharpness and explosiveness that have defined much of his campaign. According to Marca, the dip in form may be linked to a lingering knee problem that has troubled the French star since early December.
The club confirmed on December 31 that Mbappe had suffered a sprain to his right knee. The discomfort reportedly began during a 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo on December 7, and since then he has struggled to reach full fitness. Despite missing a fixture against Manchester City, he continued playing under head coach Xabi Alonso without a detailed medical update being made public.
One major motivation behind his decision to push through the pain was a personal milestone: equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record as the club’s top scorer in a single calendar year. Mbappe ultimately managed to match the Portuguese icon’s mark, but the physical toll appears to be catching up with him.
Statistically, there is no immediate cause for alarm. However, the forward has now gone two matches without scoring, an unusual drought by his lofty standards. Over the past two and a half months, despite knee pain, he has been among the most-used outfield players in La Liga and across all competitions.
The latest warning sign came at the Bernabeu against Real Sociedad, when Mbappe was included in the squad after missing two training sessions but remained on the bench and did not feature. Ahead of a crucial tie with Benfica, the coaching staff opted not to take unnecessary risks.
Mbappe had previously accelerated his recovery to feature in the Spanish Super Cup final, returning earlier than the initially projected three-week rehabilitation period. A brief appearance against Barcelona in Saudi Arabia suggested he was not fully recovered.
With the World Cup on the horizon, the long-term priority will be ensuring Mbappe’s knee heals properly. One potential solution could be a reduced workload during the upcoming international window, although it remains unclear whether France manager Didier Deschamps will rest him for friendlies against Brazil and Colombia in March.
For now, Real Madrid must carefully manage their star forward, balancing immediate ambitions with the need to protect one of the world’s most valuable assets.
