Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe suffered a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of his knee on international duty with France against Turkey, but narrowly avoided major surgery and a season on the sidelines. The 27-year-old forward stopped playing the moment he felt pain, a swift call that spared him the operating table. Tests by the club's medical staff have pointed to a lay-off of 10 to 12 days, yet manager Jose Mourinho has no intention of taking any risks.
For Mourinho, the player's wellbeing comes first. Mbappe should be available for the visit of Villarreal on 10 October, but the medical staff will only clear him once he is 100 per cent fit. Should he sit that fixture out, Mourinho is weighing up deploying Jude Bellingham as a false nine, with Arda Guler operating just behind him. Ultimately, Real Madrid have dodged a serious injury to their French forward, and he is expected back at full intensity in the coming days.
