Kylian Mbappe Goes Off Injured Just Minutes After Netting His 50th Champions League Goal

Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Atalanta last night was a rollercoaster of emotions. They pulled off a thrilling 3-2 win against one of Europe’s most in-form sides. However, the victory came at a cost. Kylian Mbappe, who opened the scoring with a brilliant goal, had to be substituted shortly after due to a muscle injury.

French captain Kylian Mbappe’s night was cut short just minutes after he opened the scoring. The star forward went down with a non-contact muscle injury but managed to walk off the pitch, hinting that it might not be too serious. Mbappe was replaced by Rodrygo in the 35th minute. According to ESPN, “Mbappé felt discomfort in his left thigh and will undergo tests on Wednesday.” Despite Mbappe’s early exit, Los Blancos held their nerve against a spirited Atalanta comeback to secure a vital 3-2 victory. The win not only ended Real Madrid’s two-game losing streak in the Champions League but also reignited their campaign. Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior took center stage, delivering clutch performances to see the team over the line. 

However, the post-match buzz was all about Mbappe’s injury scare. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was quick to calm nerves, dispelling any fears of a major setback. In the post-match press conference, Ancelotti said, “(Mbappé) has a strain, some discomfort in his thigh. We'll have to see. It doesn't look serious, but I don't know, we'll see tomorrow. He couldn't sprint. It was bothering him, so we had to substitute him.”  Before the injury, Mbappe was enjoying a near perfect evening. With his opener against Atalanta, the Frenchman reached the 50-goal milestone in just 79 games – the fourth fastest in Champions League history after Ruud van Nistelrooy (62 games), Lionel Messi (66), and Robert Lewandowski (77). 

With key players like Rodrygo, Vini and Camavinga coming back from injuries, Real Madrid are slowly turning their season around after a dismal run in November. Madrid’s hard-fought victory over Atalanta was only their third in the revamped Champions League league phase, leaving the 15-time champions in 18th place and clinging to an unseeded playoff spot. But with two games still left to play, Carlo Ancelotti hopes that his troops can finish the UCL ‘league phase’ on a strong note. He said, “We're getting players back, Vini played today, Rodrygo played, we'll get Camavinga back. We have to hang on until Christmas. We could get into the top eight in Champions League standings. The objective is clear, we have two games, and we have to win both."