Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe Recovery Plan Adds Extra Pressure on Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid are reportedly not taking any risks with Kylian Mbappé’s recovery, even if that means keeping the France international on the bench once domestic action resumes next weekend.

Alarm bells blared through the Spanish capital when Mbappé went to ground in agony while representing France during the September-October international break. The 27-year-old was forced to come off the pitch in the 59th minute against Türkiye and subsequently withdrew from international duty with a knee injury.

Real Madrid confirmed Mbappé was diagnosed with hyperextension of the posterior capsule of his left knee. The typical recovery from such an injury is around two weeks, which lines up nicely with the club’s return to action against Villarreal on Oct. 10.

Except SPORT report Los Blancos are taking no chances with their leading goalscorer. The main objective is for Mbappé to be fully fit for El Clásico at the end the month.

José Mourinho is prepared to manage the Frenchman’s workload over the next few weeks, avoiding any potential risks that would see Mbappé suffer a setback and potentially miss out on a trip to the Camp Nou. With Barcelona already six points ahead of Real Madrid in the La Liga standings, there is no room for error when the two rivals clash for the first time this season.

Real Madrid’s October Fixtures

Opponent	Date	Competition
Villarreal (H)	Oct. 10	La Liga
Roma (A)	Oct. 14	Champions League
Sevilla (H)	Oct. 18	La Liga
RB Leipzig (H)	Oct. 21	Champions League
Barcelona (A)	Oct. 25	La Liga

Will Mbappé Start for Real Madrid Against Villarreal?

Kylian Mbappé suffered a knee issue while representing France. | Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images

In any other circumstance, Mbappé would be a shoo-in to lead Mourinho’s line against Villarreal. But a looming Clásico and a history of knee problems could have the Portuguese boss roll out an XI without the superstar forward.

Losing Mbappé is a major blow for Real Madrid; the former Paris Saint-Germain captain kicked off the season in blistering form, recording 10 goal contributions in eight appearances. He leads the team with eight goals—the second-highest scorer is Jude Bellingham with three.

The good news is Carlos Espí, who recently got called up by Spain to replace the injured Ferran Torres, is a worthy replacement up top. The striker has played just 26 minutes this season and already has two goals to his name, both of which secured three points for the 15-time European champions.

Endrick is also an option should Mbappé be on the bench. The 20-year-old is finally getting some playing time with Brazil and tallied an assist in the team’s 4–2 win over Australia. Unfortunately for the youngster, he is below Espí in Mourinho’s pecking order.

Pressure Is Mounting on Vinícius Junior

If Real Madrid indeed manage Mbappé’s minutes, the pressure will be on Vinícius Júnior to carry much of the goalscoring burden. Normally, the Brazilian plays better without the France international on the pitch, but a disappointing start to the season is amplifying doubts.

After inking a massive six-year extension with the club this summer, Vinícius Jr has just one goal and three assists to his name. Even more concerning than his lack of production is his all-around poor performances.

The winger is drastically missing chances he would normally bury. He’s doing less defensive work than ever—and that’s saying a lot. He’s struggling to even create opportunities, so much so that he was hooked in Real Madrid’s last two games. Vinícius Jr lasted just 68 minutes against Elche and 54 minutes against Atlético Madrid.

Perhaps a change of scenery and a reunion with Carlo Ancelotti will have him return to the Bernabéu refreshed and recentered. But if he continues to play poorly and contribute little in the final third, then Mourinho might be forced to rush Mbappé back into the XI.

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