Mbappe injury clouds El Clásico hopes

The club's medical services confirmed that the France captain has been diagnosed with an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg — one of the hamstring muscles running along the length of the thigh — though no timeline for his return has been provided.

Mbappé is certain to miss Sunday's trip to Espanyol, while his availability for El Clásico against Barcelona on May 10 remains very much in the balance, according to initial reports in the Spanish press. Real Madrid initially suggested he had suffered nothing more than a muscular overload, but further tests confirmed that their leading scorer was in fact injured.

The news has raised considerable concern in France as well, with fewer than two months to go until the 2026 World Cup kicks off. Although early indications suggest Mbappé is not at risk of missing the tournament entirely, time on the sidelines at this stage could affect his match sharpness and physical preparation ahead of his World Cup debut.

The injury comes at a particularly difficult moment for Real Madrid, who were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich, have already exited the Copa del Rey, and now trail Barcelona by 11 points at the top of La Liga with only five matches remaining.