Real Madrid are back in La Liga action on Monday night as they host Getafe at the Bernabeu in a Madrid derby. A win is needed for Los Blancos to close back to within a point of Barcelona in the title race, although they will have to do without the services of Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe has been struggling with a knee issue for over two months, and in recent days, the situation has come to a head. He’s set to miss the next couple of weeks at the very least, and Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has now confirmed that the Frenchman won’t play until he is fully fit, as per Diario AS.
“We are very clear. What is happening to him, what has been happening to him and what we want now, which is that he fully recovers from these discomforts and can return to 100% with the maximum confidence, and with the greatest possible security when he is fully recovered and those small discomforts disappear.
“We will see day by day. It’s a matter of him seeing how he is feeling, how he is recovering, what evolution is like. Right now it’s better not to give deadlines because they are discomforts that we have to go day by day and that he sees his feelings, how he feels. And based on that, we will decide. We want him to return to 100%, and when that happens, he will return.”
Arbeloa: Rodrygo can step up in Mbappe’s absence
Arbeloa is hoping that Mbappe’s absence from the team can be filled by Rodrygo Goes, who is returning from his own injury woes.
“Rodrygo must be very important. He was already just before the injuries he has had. He can be a fundamental, decisive player. He has been showing his quality at Real Madrid for many years. In the three attacking positions he can help us: he has a lot of foot, good vision of the game, a lot of arrival, one for one… He is a very complete player and very difficult to defend. He is going to give us a lot of possibilities and I really wanted to have him back. Hopefully he can add minutes and gain more and more importance within the team.”
