Kylian Mbappé refutes claims that Real Madrid conducted MRI on incorrect knee.
Kylian Mbappé refuted claims that his knee injury was incorrectly diagnosed after Real Madrid’s medical staff mistakenly assessed the wrong knee while attempting to address the issue.
A reporter from France’s RMC Sport, along with several Spanish media outlets, asserted on Tuesday that Madrid had overlooked a partial ligament tear in his left knee in December, mistakenly scanning his healthy right knee instead.
Mbappé participated in three matches with the team before he was ultimately diagnosed with the injury, with Madrid issuing a medical report confirming a knee sprain on Dec. 31. This was followed by an update this month after he traveled to Paris for a second opinion, which resulted in him being sidelined for over three weeks.
“The claim that [Madrid] examined the incorrect knee is not accurate,” Mbappé stated on Wednesday while on international duty with France as they prepare for a friendly against Brazil. “Perhaps I bear some indirect responsibility for the situation, because when you don’t communicate about what you have and what is happening, it leaves room for interpretation, and everyone is eager to fill in the gaps.
“Now, with Real Madrid, we have always maintained clear communication, whether it was during my rehabilitation in Madrid or when I was in Paris, where I was accompanied by the doctor, a physiotherapist, and the club’s physical trainer, and we worked from Paris, so there is no issue with that.
“We’re at a crucial point in the season. The team has been performing well in my absence. When I got injured, I wasn’t available, and people assumed I was the only solution, but that was not the case. The key factor is the team.”
Mbappé initially sustained the injury against Celta Vigo on Dec. 7, but continued to play three matches before the end of 2025 — against Alavés, Talavera, and Sevilla — before the knee sprain was confirmed.
After missing nearly all of the Spanish Supercopa, he then participated in several matches in January and February, before Madrid indicated that a meeting with French doctors had validated the course of “conservative treatment” they had opted for.
Following a rest period, he returned to the squad as a substitute in last week’s Champions League second leg against Manchester City, and then in the weekend’s derby against Atlético Madrid.
“I’ve never been someone — neither as a person nor as a player — who dwells on regrets,” Mbappé remarked on Wednesday. “I concentrate on the present and the near future. At this moment, I feel good, especially with both my knees, which is significant to me. That’s partly due to my club, who have taken excellent care of my fitness.
“I’m very pleased to be here, available, and fully fit. I’m ready to play [against Brazil] and to start if necessary.”
Earlier this week, Mbappé informed Spanish outlet AS that “some inaccurate statements have been made” regarding the knee injury that limited his participation for Real Madrid in recent weeks.
