Real Madrid host Benfica on Wednesday night and Kylian Mbappe represents a serious injury risk with the French forward playing through the pain barrier for months。
Kylian Mbappe could miss Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Benfica due to an injury issue that has left him "playing on one leg" for weeks - but boss Alvaro Arbeloa has talked up pushing him through the pain barrier.
The Frenchman has been prolific for Los Blancos this term, scoring a staggering 38 goals in all competitions, but has been doing so whilst nursing a problem in his left knee. He helped Real down Benfica in Lisbon and they'll return home with a narrow 1-0 advantage.
But Arbeloa could be without his star striker on Wednesday as ESPN claim he is a late fitness doubt. Club doctors have flagged concerns and Mbappe could now sit out of the European clash.
It leaves the current Real boss, who is only in place until the end of the season, with a huge decision to make. L'Equipe claim his future could hinge on the result, such is the demand for European success in the Spanish capital.
But with Mbappe's ongoing issue plaguing him, should he take to the pitch at the Bernabeu then he would likely need to have a 10-day lay off. That would make him unavailable for La Liga games with Getafe and Celta Vigo in what is a crunch period of the season. Mbappe also needs to consider this summer's world Cup.
The ex-PSG star took part in Madrid's open training session on Tuesday but could not complete it due to the pain in his knee. However Arbeloa's comments suggest he's willing to take a risk with Mbappe as he seeks to avoid an embarrassing early Champions League exit.
He said: "Kylian is prepared to play tomorrow, which is the most important thing right now. I want to highlight the commitment he's showing to the team, to his teammates. He's trying to help us on the pitch. He's a decisive player and he can decide a game in any moment."
Arbeloa also added: "We're definitely going to need him on Wednesday, and he'll have a great game."
The clash on Wednesday night will be played amid an ongoing investigation into racist allegations made by Vinicius Jnr following last week's outing. Gianluca Prestianni, the accused, is provisionally suspended for the game but trained alongside his Benfica team-mates prior to the game.
Mbappe is yet to claim the Champions League during his career - a major hole that still exists on his CV. He continued to fall short when he was at PSG, losing in the final back in 2020. He moved to Los Blancos just after their European success, but the Spanish side were beaten by Arsenal.