Real Madrid Misdiagnoses Kylian Mbappe’s Knee Injury with Incorrect Leg Scan
Real Madrid misdiagnosed Kylian Mbappe’s knee injury after performing an incorrect leg scan in December. Filmogaz.com has learned that an MRI was taken of his uninjured right knee. The error delayed the discovery of damage to his left knee.
Initial signs and the wrong scan
The first symptoms emerged after Madrid’s 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo on December 7. Mbappe, 27, suffered a blow to his knee during the match. An MRI on the wrong leg followed, and it showed no abnormality.
Sources who spoke anonymously to Filmogaz.com say Mbappe then played three full games. He did so despite inflammation in his injured left knee. A later scan of the left leg revealed a partial posterior ligament tear.
Club updates and recovery plan
On December 31, Madrid issued a medical update. The club described the problem as a knee sprain and announced a conservative recovery program. Another statement later reconfirmed the same diagnosis.
Real Madrid and Mbappe’s representatives were contacted for comment. Those approached did not provide a public response to Filmogaz.com.
Playing time and symptoms
Mbappe was an unused substitute in the December 10 Champions League home match with Manchester City. He then played the full 90 minutes in Madrid’s remaining games of the year and equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record of 59 goals in a calendar year.
After the Christmas break, he returned to training on December 30. Staff saw him touch his left knee during that session. He missed the Supercopa semi-final travel but joined the squad for the January 11 final against Barcelona.
Appearances and scoring run
Following the scans, he featured in eight of the next ten matches. He scored nine goals during that stretch, with the last on February 21. Club sources said Mbappe’s workload was reduced in training and his condition was monitored closely.
Management changes and medical staff
The club made changes after Xabi Alonso’s dismissal. President Florentino Pérez reinstated fitness coach Antonio Pintus and appointed Dr Niko Mihic as head of medical services. Injuries, however, continued to affect the squad under coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
One training-ground source told Filmogaz.com that Mbappe had good days and bad days. Another source said the knee showed no instability, so playing carried less perceived risk when he felt well.
Recent returns and international duty
Mbappe returned as a substitute in the Champions League win at Manchester City. He played 21 minutes in a 2-1 victory that completed a 5-1 aggregate win. He also came off the bench for 26 minutes in Madrid’s 3-2 home win over Atletico.
He is now with France for friendlies in the United States. The fixtures are against Brazil on March 26 and Colombia on March 29.
- Age: 27
- Initial incident: December 7, home vs Celta Vigo
- MRI error: scan performed on right (uninjured) knee
- Correct diagnosis: partial posterior knee ligament tear
- Club record equalled: 59 goals in a calendar year
- Key dates: scan error in December, medical update Dec 31, Supercopa final Jan 11
