Madrid has received a timely lift before the visit of Villarreal: Kylian Mbappé returned to full training with Real Madrid on Wednesday and is expected to be available for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture.
Key takeaways
- Mbappé trained with his Real Madrid teammates three days before the Villarreal match, scheduled for Saturday at 16:00 Brasília time.
- The forward had been released from the France squad after suffering a left-knee problem against Turkey on 25 September.
- He scored France’s winner in the 1-0 Nations League victory before leaving the field five minutes later.
- Real Madrid footage and photographs showed the No. 10 moving freely in the midweek session.
- Mbappé has opened the 2026/27 campaign with eight goals in eight appearances for Madrid.
A knee scare gives way to a Madrid return
The concern began in France’s match against Turkey, when Mbappé struck eight minutes into the second half and then came off in the 13th minute after hurting his left knee. France coach Zinedine Zidane had expressed immediate concern after the game, saying: “He is not well. I think he will have to return to Madrid.”
Mbappé was subsequently withdrawn from international duty and did not feature in France’s following matches: a 1-0 win over Belgium, a 1-1 draw with Italy and a 4-1 victory against Belgium.
There was additional anxiety in the Spanish capital because the attacker also experienced trouble with the same left knee last season. Yet his return to group work this week, captured in club training images, has eased fears ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.
Madrid need their scorer for a difficult stretch
Mbappé’s importance has been unmistakable since his first season at the Bernabéu. He produced 42 goals and six assists across 44 matches last term, then began the new campaign at a goal-per-game pace.
Seven of his eight goals this season have arrived in LaLiga, where he sits second in the scoring chart. The other came in the Champions League, opening the scoring in Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Inter Milan. His only France appearance of the season also brought a goal, against Turkey.
Villarreal are only the start of a significant sequence for Madrid, who are also due to face Roma, Sevilla, RB Leipzig and Barcelona. The league standings add pressure to every match: Barcelona lead LaLiga by six points, while Real Madrid are currently fourth.
