Champions League: Major boost for Man City as Real Madrid superstar ‘ruled out’ of first leg of last-16 tie

Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappe will reportedly miss his team’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Manchester City at Bernabeu.

Mbappe did not feature in Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout round playoff second leg against Benfica on Wednesday night due to a troublesome knee issue.

The France international will also again be out against Getafe on Monday night, but the expectation was that he would be able to return for the Champions League last-16 first leg against Man City, which is due to take place at Bernabeu on March 11.

However, according to SER Chain Mbappe is set to be out for three weeks.

The Frenchman is expected to sit out Real Madrid’s next four matches, including three in La Liga against Getafe, Celta Vigo and Elche, in addition to the first leg of the clash with Man City.

Mbappe ‘set’ to miss first leg of last-16 Champions League tie against Man City

Mbappe is said to be targeting a return for the second leg of the European affair on March 17.

The 27-year-old has been in excellent form for Los Blancos during the 2025-26 campaign, scoring 38 goals and registering six assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

Mbappe has 13 Champions League goals to his name this term, and his absence would be a major blow for Real Madrid and a huge boost for Man City.

“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,” Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa told reporters after Mbappe missed out against Benfica.

Mbappe ‘targeting’ return for second leg against Man City

“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.

“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 has struggled with a problem in his left knee in recent months, and the expectation is that his pain will subside with a period of rest.