Mbappé returns for Real Madrid after 16 chaotic days: Camp Nou and Bernabéu reactions will explain a lot

The day has arrived: Kylian Mbappé is back. At the time of writing, it has not yet been decided whether he will start – although we know Flick’s a fan – but he has been included in the squad. And with positive feelings, though not spectacular ones. The most likely scenario is that he begins on the bench and plays some minutes in the second half. A final decision will come later.

But if he plays, it will never feel like a mere formality. No matter how the game unfolds. Because the atmosphere surrounding him has shifted from sunny to stormy. So much so that the last 16 days have placed him dangerously close to the eye of the hurricane. The clearest indication is the growing feeling among supporters that next Thursday he could be whistled by the Bernabéu crowd. Unless he speaks tonight in the way stars do: with goals. Mbappé is at a critical moment. The situation has become delicate.

The Mbappé injury that sparked the storm

The context matters. Today marks 16 days since the injury. A sharp pain he felt at La Cartuja against Real Betis: the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg. He managed to play 81 minutes before eventually asking to come off. The issue was described as mild but persistent discomfort.

Then the earthquake began. First came his absence from training sessions. He was practically ruled out of the trip to Espanyol from the outset. As the days passed, the weekend arrived and with it the first major controversy.

Mbappé’s trip to Italy fuels criticism

With the team facing a difficult away game at Espanyol, Mbappé was nowhere to be seen. And the way it unfolded generated enormous discussion: a getaway to Italy with his partner. Yacht trips, beaches, restaurants, walks. A summer-style vacation.

“Every player does what they think is appropriate in their free time,” Álvaro Arbeloa said at the time. But the explanation failed to convince anyone. Fans expected a leader to be alongside his teammates during such a delicate stretch, even if he was unable to play. Simply being there mattered. Leadership is not only shown with boots on.

A late return and another controversy

The next image only widened the frustration among club executives and within the locker room: Mbappé landed in Madrid just 12 minutes before kickoff. From there, he immediately headed to Valdebebas to continue his recovery work.

On Tuesday, during the squad’s day off, he was again at the training ground. Though there was a catch to that narrative: injured players routinely work separately and continuously until they recover. Their schedules are naturally different from the group’s. Even so, the sight of him edging closer to a comeback briefly calmed tensions. Then came another wave of controversy.

Laughter at Valdebebas

Thursday became a historic day at the club because of the confrontation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni. And on that same day, Mbappé left Valdebebas laughing loudly in his car, window rolled down, fully aware that journalists and fans were present nearby.

The image was viewed internally as avoidable, to put it mildly. Not because anyone believed he was laughing at what had happened inside the locker room — that would have been scandalous — but because it was seen as unnecessary and lacking sensitivity. Detached from the mood surrounding the team. It did not go down well. And for many supporters, it felt like another mistake piled onto an already tense situation.

Mbappé physically close, but not perfect

From a physical standpoint, Mbappé is doing very well, though not perfectly. On Thursday he trained partially with the group, on Friday he completed the session and yesterday he again trained only partially.

What he is dealing with is essentially muscular overload, a diagnosis that is difficult to measure precisely. Everything depends heavily on sensations. Some overload injuries create only stiffness; others can trigger constant cramps. A muscle tear usually follows a clearer recovery process. This is far more unpredictable.

The key word inside the club is “feeling.” A decision will be made later today based on how he feels physically. Optimism has grown in recent hours. On Thursday he was considered almost entirely ruled out of the starting lineup. Now, not so much. He has a chance to start, which already represents significant progress. Still, it remains more unlikely than likely. What does seem clear is that he should play some minutes tonight, marking his return after more than two weeks sidelined.

Barcelona remains one of his favorite victims

And the opponent could hardly be more fitting: Barcelona, his fourth-favorite victim. Only Montpellier (15 goals), Lyon (13) and Monaco (13) have conceded more to him. Against Barcelona he has scored 12 times, making them the Spanish side he has punished the most.

The average is remarkable: one goal every 67 minutes. He has played 808 total minutes against Barcelona across 10 games. Yet there is one curious detail in the numbers: he has never registered an assist against them. Not with Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored six goals, nor with Real Madrid, where he has added another six.

Mbappé returns tonight. However many minutes he gets, he needs to make them count. Because Thursday looms large. The Bernabéu awaits. And the storm around him is only growing.

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