Mbappe to miss El Clasico

Kylian Mbappé has officially been ruled out of Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona after manager Álvaro Arbeloa completely omitted the French superstar from Real Madrid's published squad list on the morning of the match. 

Despite recent optimism following his return to group sessions, The Athletic reports that the forward has not fully recovered from the hamstring injury that he originally sustained against Real Betis on Friday, April 24. 

While he desperately pushed to be available for the season-defining fixture, other reports indicated that the 2018 World Cup champion simply did not feel good during his final training session, forcing the medical staff and coaching hierarchy to withdraw him from contention.

Mbappé’s untimely physical setback delivers a devastating blow to Real Madrid just as they absolutely need to win to avoid embarrassment at Camp Nou. 

If Los Blancos fail to secure all three points, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will mathematically clinch the 2025/26 LALIGA title directly in front of their bitter rivals. 

Furthermore, the confirmed absence amplifies the intense, ongoing wave of criticism currently suffocating the French national team captain.

The forward is already the primary target of a viral online petition fuelled by furious supporters demanding his exit from the club. He also faced internal scrutiny after an unsanctioned vacation to Sardinia during his initial recovery phase.