Kylian Mbappé asks to be substituted against Alavés: will he play for Real Madrid against Atlético?

Kylian Mbappé scored his fifth goal in four matches for Real Madrid against Alavés on Tuesday but, just five days before the derby against Atlético Madrid, made a worrying gesture after substituted by Carlo Ancelotti in the 80th minute.

Why did Mbappé ask to come off against Alavés?

Having made his way to the bench, Mbappé was seen clutching his left hamstring, which didn’t go unnoticed. The France captain wasn’t limping or given any ice, with the initial signs suggesting the issue was no more than a scare.

After the game, which Madrid won 3-2, Ancelotti revealed the decision to replace the attacker hadn’t been his, but moved to play down fears of an injury, saying Mbappé was suffering from tightness in his muscles after a busy run of fixtures. “He felt some tightness and he asked to be taken off to avoid any problems,” explained the Italian.

With the derby against Atleti coming up on Sunday, however, the timing is far from ideal.

Hectic run of games with Real Madrid and France

After reaching the semifinals of Euro 2024 with France, Mbappé only had a short break before linking up with his new team, with whom he didn’t have a preseason. Since making his debut against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup on August 14, the former PSG star has barely stopped, with the exception of his country’s second game in the September international break, in which he played for only 23 minutes against Belgium.

Mbappé has started all nine of Real Madrid’s competitive games this season, with his inclusion in the lineup against Alavés something of a surprise. Vinícius had been rested in Saturday’s victory over Espanyol and it looked likely to be the Frenchman’s turn in midweek.

Ancelotti had told the media Endrick would start one of the two games, which didn’t ultimately happen. When the starting XI to face Alavés was announced, it contained Mbappé. Again.

Mbappé to undergo tests on Wednesday

Of Los Blancos’ 810 minutes of competitive action in 2024/25, Mbappé has played 783 of them. That statistic means muscle tightness shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, although he will undergo tests on Wednesday, a day off for the whole first-team roster, to confirm he hasn’t suffered an injury.

Real Madrid believe Mbappé will be fit to face Atlético at the Metropolitano, the only stadium in which they lost on the way to winning LaLiga last season.

But there is some concern about the forward’s physical condition, particularly with games in multiple competitions continuing to come thick and fast in the coming weeks and months.