Real Madrid secured an essential victory in the Champions League on Tuesday, edging out Serie A leaders Atalanta with a score of 3-2. However, the match was marred by an injury concern as Kylian Mbappe had to leave the field limping late in the first half, prompting Rodrygo to replace him.
Initially, the situation seemed alarming, but after the game, Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti reassured fans that Mbappe would be fine.
“[Mbappé] has a strain, some discomfort in his thigh,” Ancelotti stated to Movistar, as reported by ESPN. “We’ll need to evaluate it. It doesn’t appear to be serious, but we’ll know more tomorrow. He was unable to sprint due to the discomfort, so we decided to bring him off. It’s an overload.”
This news is a relief for Real Madrid, who are keen to have their star player fit. Since joining the club this past summer, Mbappe has been finding his rhythm, scoring in three out of his last four outings. He scored the opening goal in Bergamo, marking his 50th career goal in the Champions League.
The French international is scheduled for a scan on his thigh on Wednesday to assess the injury’s severity. Ancelotti appears optimistic that Mbappe’s absence will be brief, if it occurs at all. Throughout this season, he has netted nine goals across 15 LaLiga matches, with Wednesday’s effort being his second of the current Champions League campaign.
Additionally, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham contributed goals against Atalanta, giving Real Madrid a 3-1 advantage before Ademola Lookman reduced the deficit to 3-2 midway through the second half.
With just three wins in the UCL thus far, Madrid will need to maintain their momentum when the competition resumes after the holiday break. The team is set to face Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, and it remains to be seen if Mbappe will be available to play.
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