Real Madrid Hit By Fresh Kylian Mbappé Blow As Arbeloa’s Problems Pile Up After Alonso Exit

Real Madrid’s season continues to unravel, and just when fans hoped the storm might ease, another major blow has landed. Kylian Mbappé will miss this weekend’s crucial La Liga clash against Levante, further complicating an already brutal start for interim head coach Álvaro Arbeloa.

Only days into life after Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa finds himself fighting fires on all fronts — injuries, poor form, fan unrest, and a squad drained of belief.

Arbeloa’s nightmare first week

The mood at the Santiago Bernabéu has turned toxic at alarming speed. In the space of one disastrous week, Real Madrid surrendered two potential trophies, triggering the dismissal of Xabi Alonso after the Supercopa de España final defeat to Barcelona.

That decision was meant to reset the club. Instead, Arbeloa’s reign began with a humiliating Copa del Rey exit to Albacete — a result that sent shockwaves through Spanish football and deepened the sense of crisis.

Now, heading into his first La Liga match in charge, Arbeloa has been dealt another hammer blow.

Mbappé ruled out as Madrid’s attacking crisis deepens

According to L’Equipe, Kylian Mbappé has been ruled out of the Levante fixture due to persistent issues with his left knee. While the pain has reportedly eased, medical staff have deemed him unfit for the intensity of top-level competition.

For Arbeloa, this could not come at a worse time.

With Real Madrid already four points behind Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, the Levante game is no longer routine — it’s a must-win. Any dropped points could severely damage Madrid’s title hopes and further erode confidence inside the dressing room.

Mbappé’s absence leaves a glaring attacking void, forcing Arbeloa to improvise with a squad that already looks mentally and physically exhausted.

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Defensive absences add to the chaos

The problems don’t stop in attack. Arbeloa will also be without key defenders Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Antonio Rüdiger — a nightmare scenario for a coach still finding his feet at senior level.

Promoted from Castilla to steady the ship, Arbeloa now faces pressure that few interim managers ever encounter. One more slip could push this season from “salvageable” to “irreversible.”

Growing controversy over Mbappé’s fitness

Mbappé’s “intermittent” injury situation has sparked growing frustration among fans and club insiders alike. The knee issue reportedly surfaced before Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Manchester City — a game widely seen as a turning point in Alonso’s tenure.

Despite missing that match, Mbappé returned quickly afterward, driven by personal milestones rather than long-term fitness.

At the time, he was just four goals short of equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most goals scored in a single calendar year for Real Madrid. He played all three remaining matches of 2025, scoring the four goals needed to tie the record.

While historic, that push appears to have aggravated his injury — forcing him to miss Madrid’s opening two games of 2026, including the Supercopa semi-final against Atlético Madrid.

A club at a crossroads

Real Madrid now find themselves at a crossroads. With pressure mounting, injuries piling up, and a rookie interim coach trying to keep the season alive, the margin for error has vanished.

The Levante match could define Arbeloa’s short-term future — and perhaps decide whether Madrid’s season still has a pulse.

At Sports Market International, we’ll be watching closely. Because when giants wobble, football history is never far away.

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