"An absolute disgrace": Real Madrid allegedly examined Kylian Mbappé's wrong leg

However, due to persistent pain, Mbappé had sought a second opinion in Paris, where he used to live, after which he and a knee specialist opted for a different approach to his recovery. The former PSG player has since even returned to the pitch. 

The misdiagnosis in Madrid had also left Mbappé “furious”. As The Athletic reported on Tuesday, the medical team made an embarrassing mistake: they scanned the wrong leg of the Frenchman on the MRI – and naturally gave the all-clear after no problems could be detected. 

The misdiagnosis was then also a decisive factor in the dismissal of the medical staff at the start of the year. As a result, following his dismissal at the end of 2023, Dr Niko Mihic was rehired as head of the department, after the team had only been reorganised last summer. Staff changes in Real’s medical department are by no means uncommon as soon as those in charge complain of too many injuries. In addition to Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Álvaro Carreras, among others, have also been absent in recent weeks.

In this regard, RMC reporter Daniel Riolo used strong words on the programme "L'After Foot". "It is an absolute disgrace for Real what has happened there. (...) This misdiagnosis could have had far more serious consequences, as it took Mbappé a long time to find out what was wrong with him. He was active elsewhere, even played a few matches, without knowing exactly what was wrong with him. He could have ruined his knee." A special muscle-building programme, which he devised with the aforementioned Parisian knee specialist, ultimately turned things around. 

After undergoing a scan on the wrong leg, Mbappé played numerous matches whilst in pain. Real Madrid described it as an injury that needed to be managed on a game-by-game basis and for which a swift recovery was expected. However, the striker was absent from the Real Madrid squad at the start of January (two matches) and the start of March (three). Following his second enforced break, there was even speculation in the press about a cruciate ligament injury, before Mbappé returned to the pitch against Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 second leg following his visit to Paris. 

On Monday, Mbappé addressed his injury. “My knee is fine. It’s getting better. Things are going pretty well and I know there was a lot of speculation about it and false things were said,” he said, adding meaningfully: “That’s the life of a top-level athlete. We’re used to people saying things without checking them and without any basis.”

Mbappé also stated that he no longer feels any pain, thereby contradicting Riolo on "L'After Foot", among others. He emphasised: "I have recovered 100 per cent. I had the opportunity to receive a thorough diagnosis in Paris. And together we were able to draw up a plan to get back to my best form at Real Madrid and in the run-up to the World Cup." 

The fact that Mbappé is indeed back to full fitness is also demonstrated by his selection for the French national team’s upcoming friendlies. The 27-year-old is seen as a great hope for the World Cup. For despite the physical issues of recent months, he has scored an outstanding 38 goals and provided six assists in 35 competitive matches for Real this season. 

In defence of Madrid’s medical staff: even between his two enforced breaks, he was scoring goals like clockwork.