Kylian Mbappe remains a serious doubt for Real Madrid ahead of their upcoming clash with Real Sociedad — and his potential absence could dramatically tilt the balance.
Real Madrid head into a pivotal La Liga fixture this week, a match carrying significant weight for their title ambitions. Ahead of a Champions League play-off first leg against Benfica, Los Blancos host an in-form Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu, a side certain to provide a stern test for Alvaro Arbeloa’s men.
Yet the spotlight inevitably falls on Mbappe’s fitness. The Frenchman has been managing ongoing discomfort and has trained individually in recent days, raising real concerns about his availability. If ruled out, Madrid would be without the focal point of their domestic attack — a player who has scored 23 of the team’s 49 league goals so far.
The No 10 has missed just one league match this term, yet the Bernabeu giants proved they could cope without Mbappe. That particular fixture—the first of 2026—saw them secure a 5-1 victory over Betis under former boss Xabi Alonso. Gonzalo deputised for the Frenchman and flourished, producing a standout performance that included a clinical hat-trick.
The academy graduate stands ready to fill the void once more should the French superstar be ruled out. However, Real Madrid will wait until the eleventh hour to assess Mbappe’s fitness, as he will take a break if necessary to ensure he reaches peak physical condition for a defining stretch of the campaign.
