Kylian Mbappé cut short his training session at Real Madrid, sparking speculation ahead of the second leg against FC Bayern Munich

Mbappé suffered a bloody gash above his right eye during Friday’s 1-1 draw with FC Girona and was still reporting discomfort two days later. Real described the decision to rest him as a precaution. 

Real have yet to confirm whether the forward will be available for Wednesday’s clash. However, his omission would be a surprise unless the cut proves more troublesome than expected. Los Blancos must overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit at the Bernabéu, and Mbappé scored their sole goal in that match. 

With 45 goal contributions in 38 competitive matches, Mbappé remains Madrid’s most potent attacking weapon, well ahead of Vinicius Junior, who has been involved in 30 goals. 

Friday’s Mbappé shock stemmed from an incident in the 88th minute, when he went down inside the six-yard box following a fine solo run and a challenge from Girona centre-back Vitor Reis. His opponent struck him in the face with his elbow, leaving Mbappé requiring three stitches. 

Despite the clear contact, referee Javier Alberola Rojas saw no reason to point to the spot, and the VAR did not overturn his decision—a double call that infuriated the Madrid bench. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa fumed, “I don’t understand why the VAR didn’t intervene. If he feels like speaking up, he does—and if not, he stays silent.” 

Real have complained about officiating before, most recently after the first-leg loss to Bayern. Two calls by English referee Michael Oliver sparked controversy then. The most controversial call involved Jonathan Tah’s challenge on Mbappé, a studs-up tackle on the Achilles tendon that merited only a yellow card. “I don’t know how Tah avoided a red card for that foul; it’s impossible to understand,” Arbeloa fumed after the final whistle.

The dropped point allowed league leaders FC Barcelona to open up a nine-point gap with just seven rounds remaining, effectively settling the title race.