Kylian Mbappe injury update: When will Real Madrid attacker be able to return from knee issue?

Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has said that Kylian Mbappe could be absent for "a few days or weeks" with the issue that forced him to miss Wednesday's Champions League clash with Benfica.

During his pre-match press conference, Arbeloa said that Mbappe was fit to take on Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League knockout round playoff.

However, reports on Tuesday evening said that the France international had been struggling with a knee issue during the team's final training session ahead of the match, and the decision was ultimately made for the attacker to be left out of the European fixture.

Mbappe has struggled with a problem in his left knee in recent months, with the issue seeing him miss four matches in total during the 2025-26 campaign.

Arbeloa is confident that the injury is not a long-term issue, but the Spaniard has been unable to confirm when the 27-year-old will be available again.

Real Madrid injury news: Mbappe is dealing with pain in his left knee

“He had to leave training yesterday, and on other days he has felt discomfort. After yesterday’s training, I spoke with him, and we consulted with the medical team," Arbeloa told reporters.

"We believed it was best for him to stop and recover 100%, so he can return in top form and confidence without discomfort for what’s ahead. He’s very important, and from now on, we’ll wait.

"Let’s see if it’s a matter of days, and hopefully, it won’t take too long, but we’ll take the necessary time for Mbappe to regain confidence and for the discomfort to disappear.

“I couldn’t tell you the difference between discomfort and an injury. When he stops, it’s because we believe it’s necessary since he doesn’t feel comfortable or at ease.

Mbappe return date unclear as Real Madrid manage injury issue

"If he doesn’t play, it’s because I understand he’s injured. When discomfort prevents you from playing, if we want to call it an injury, we can call it an injury, but it seems to be, and I hope it is, not a serious injury, a minor issue, and he can return in a few days or weeks.

"We have a diagnosis, but I’m not the one to disclose such data about the players’ health. We are very clear about what was happening, what has happened, and what’s happening now. We want him to recover, be at 100%, and that’s why we decided he should stop.”

Mbappe's absence is a big one considering that he has scored 38 goals and registered six assists in 33 appearances for Real Madrid during the 2025-26 campaign.

Los Blancos will return to action against Getafe in La Liga on Monday night, while the first leg of their last-16 Champions League clash, which will be against either Sporting Lisbon or Manchester City, will take place on March 10 or March 11.