- 23 hours ago
Real Madrid BAN Mbappe from derby
Suraj Radia
- 29 Sept 2024 10:00 BST
- 3 min read
Kylian Mbappe has been BANNED from attending the Madrid derby this weekend, with Real Madrid keen to ensure their injured superstar does not attract negative attention from rival fans.
Real travel to rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday for their first game without their blockbuster summer signing after he injured his thigh in the win over Alaves in midweek.
The injury is expected to sideline Mbappe for around three weeks, leaving Real without their top scorer right when the Frenchman was discovering his best form, having scored in his last four appearances.
READ MORE: Real Madrid top scorers 2024/25
Mbappe had been hoping to watch the derby from the stands, however the 25-year-old has been told by Real to stay away from the Metropolitano Stadium to avoid sparking tension from Atletico’s fans.
Recent affairs between Atletico and Real have sparked fan trouble, notably against Vinicius Junior, who has repeatedly dealt with racial abuse from rival supporters.
Consequently, Real are looking to protect their players and avoid any security issues, meaning Mbappe’s first Madrid derby will have to be experienced at home instead of with his teammates as he would have hoped.
Ancelotti: Real can handle Mbappe absence
The loss of Mbappe comes in Real’s toughest fixture of the season so far, with Atletico being the only team to beat Carlo Ancelotti’s side twice last year.
Like Real, Atletico are also unbeaten this season and Diego Simeone’s men boast the best defence in La Liga, conceding just three times in their opening seven fixtures.
STATS
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
READ MORE: Latest Kylian Mbappe transfer news
Ancelotti has insisted that Real have enough to beat their rivals without Mbappe, with the Italian set to revert to last season’s system in place before the French captain’s arrival.
“Without Mbappé, it will inevitably change our way of playing a little,” Ancelotti said. “But not that much, because last season, he wasn't there and we were used to playing without him.
"It's a shame he's not here, but I think we can manage his absence very well ."
