Kylian Mbappe could still play in the first leg of Real Madrid's meeting with Manchester City in the Champions League. The French striker is nursing a sprain in his left knee and he missed his side's 1-0 defeat to Getafe last weekend.
The 27-year-old's absence was felt as Madrid lacked little threat up top and were beaten for the second game in a row. Their loss has led to Alvaro Arbeloa's players conceding defeat in the La Liga title race, sitting four points behind leaders Barcelona ahead of tonight's game against Celta Vigo.
Mbappe will miss the trip to Celta but a possible return for the Champions League clash with City next Wednesday (March 11th) isn't ruled out. He made a rushed return at the start of the year to try and help Los Blancos beat Barca in the Supercopa de Espana final but to no avail.
Mbappe could face Man City
A report from Diario AS (via Madrid Xtra) claims that while it will be "difficult" for Mbappe to feature against City, it's "not impossible." Both the club and the player are on the same wavelength regarding leaving the door open for him to possibly play in the first leg.
Arbeloa's men are the underdogs in their tie against Pep Guardiola's Cityzens. They suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Premier League giants in the competition's league phase.
Mbappe will have been eager to be fully fit for the upcoming game given his sensational form this season. He's bagged 38 goals in 33 games across competitions, 13 in eight Champions League matches.
Stop rushing Mbappe back
The club and the player's stance over a possible return is a concern and the handling of Mbappe's fitness should be better. Rushing the Frenchman back could have long-term consequences especially ahead of a World Cup this summer.
Mbappe is Madrid's main man and has been throughout this season but he should be given time to rest and recover. Continuing to throw him back into action so soon after an injury is a massive risk and will do more harm than good.
The French star will of course be keen to play against City given the importance of that game. But the club must realise the damage they are doing not letting him properly rehabiliate.
It's becoming a recurring issue and Mbappe isn't the only one who is playing despite fitness troubles. It was claimed earlier this season that Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio have been playing through the pain barrier.