Real Madrid’s Fresh Injury Humiliation—Second Player ‘Misdiagnosed’ Before Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappé is not the only Real Madrid player to have struggled with Madrid’s medical staff.

Kylian Mbappé (left) is at the heart of the controversy. | CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images

Just days after the Real Madrid medical staff were accused of missing Kylian Mbappé’s knee injury by scanning the wrong leg, a report has claimed he is not the only player to have endured the same mistake.

Mbappé may have publicly denied the claims, but many respected outlets stand by their stories that the severity of the injury to his left knee was missed because Madrid’s medical staff examined his right leg instead.

L’Équipe, one of those to report on the blunder involving Mbappé, now claim midfielder Eduardo Camavinga actually suffered the same fate just a few days earlier.

The midfielder underwent a scan on his ankle on Dec. 3 and was cleared to play because the checks on his wrong leg revealed no damage. He was included in the squad to face Celta Vigo four days later, going unused on the bench, before aggravating the issue and spending two weeks on the sidelines.

It was during that game against Celta Vigo that Mbappé reported his knee pain, with the MRI scan two days later at the heart of the entire issue.

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Big Changes Made Following Humiliating Allegations

Eduardo Camavinga injured his ankle in December. | ANDER GILLENEA/AFP/Getty Images

While Madrid may have disputed the suggestions of such high-profile errors, it is clear the Spanish side recognized a flaw in their medical setup when big changes were made in January of this year.

Niko Mihic, Madrid’s club doctor from 2017–23, was brought back in an advisory role to observe the treatment offered at all levels of the club.

Further changes came just one week later, when the departure of manager Xabi Alonso was followed almost immediately by confirmation that Antonio Pintus would return to a senior position in the team’s fitness coaching, having been shifted to a role as a “performance manager” when Alonso chose to bring his own coaching staff with him from Bayer Leverkusen.

Reports have stressed the strength of the relationship between Pintus and club president Florentino Pérez, who is known to have enormous appreciation of the coach’s work and specifically requested his return under Carlo Ancelotti in 2021.

New manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who has also praised Pintus publicly, has still faced a number of injury issues during his short tenure at the Bernabéu. Big names like Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Thibaut Courtois have been struck down, while winger Vinicius Junior may need managing upon his return from Brazil duty after complaining of muscle discomfort.

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