Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
LiveTickets
This page contains affiliate links. When you purchase through the links provided, we may earn a commission.
GFX Kylian Mbappe Xabi AlonsoGetty/GOAL
Peter McVitie

Revealed: Kylian Mbappe took huge risk to try and SAVE Xabi Alonso's job at Real Madrid

Real Madrid
K. Mbappe
LaLiga
X. Alonso

Kylian Mbappe defied medical advice and risked a serious knee injury in a desperate bid to save Xabi Alonso’s job at Real Madrid. The French superstar played through the pain barrier in the Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, knowing that a loss would likely spell the end for the Basque coach, with whom he shared a close bond despite their short time together at the Bernabeu.

Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%
Protect 14 devices with the top ExpressVPN plan
ExpressVPN

Pro

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 14 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is included with the Express Pro plan.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers an unlimited private email relay plus an unlimited number of shared aliases and 20 custom domains, ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator, and ExpressAI, an AI assistant that offers 500 credits a day, six AI models, a web search facility plus 2GB storage.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%
Protect 14 devices with the top ExpressVPN plan
ExpressVPN

Pro

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 14 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is included with the Express Pro plan.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers an unlimited private email relay plus an unlimited number of shared aliases and 20 custom domains, ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator, and ExpressAI, an AI assistant that offers 500 credits a day, six AI models, a web search facility plus 2GB storage.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
ExpressVPN

Advanced

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 12 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 73%

  • Alonso out after Madrid's Clasico failure

    While the 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final ultimately sealed Alonso’s fate, reports from France have now disclosed that Mbappe played the match while significantly hampered by a knee injury. The French captain’s decision to take to the field was a calculated gamble, driven by a personal desire to protect a manager he had grown to admire deeply.

    According to L'Équipe, Mbappe was fully aware that the Clasico showdown in Saudi Arabia was effectively a referendum on Alonso’s tenure. Sensing that a defeat would be the final nail in the coffin for the project, the forward made himself available despite suffering from a sprained knee that should have ruled him out of action until January 21. It was a sacrificial act from the club’s top scorer, who put his long-term fitness on the line in the hope that his presence could turn the tide against their bitter rivals.

  • FBL-KSA-ESP-SUPERCUP-ATLETICO MADRID-REAL MADRIDAFP

    Mbappe ignored medical warnings for the cause

    The medical reality facing Mbappe prior to the final was stark. The knee sprain he was carrying was serious enough that the club’s medical staff had scheduled his return for late January. However, the desperation of the situation led to a change in plans. It is understood that Alonso, acutely aware of the precariousness of his position, pushed heavily to use his best player, even if only for a cameo role towards the end of the match.

    Mbappe, yielding to the pleas of a coaching staff he held in high regard, agreed to play. Contrary to rumours circulating before the match, the French international did not receive pain-killing injections to get through the game. Instead, he played through the discomfort naturally, ignoring multiple warnings from medical professionals about the threat of a relapse.

    The risk was significant; aggravating a knee sprain could have led to much more painful consequences and a lengthy spell on the sidelines during the crucial Champions League knockout phase. That Mbappe was willing to ignore these warnings highlights the severity of the crisis at Real Madrid and the loyalty the squad - or at least its biggest star - felt towards the Basque tactician.

    Despite the ex-Paris Saint-Germain star's sacrifice, he faced heavy criticism in the wake of the Super Cup defeat. He discouraged his team-mates from giving a guard of honour to their victorious rivals, despite claims Alonso had instructed them to go through with the traditional niceties.

    Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

  • A special bond cut short

    The gamble, ultimately, did not pay off. Barcelona triumphed 3-2, and Alonso was relieved of his duties shortly after. Yet, the relationship between the manager and his star forward remained intact to the end. Two hours after the official announcement of Alonso's departure, Mbappe was the first Real Madrid player to break the silence, posting a heartfelt tribute on social media.

    "It was short but a real pleasure to play for you and learn by your side," Mbappe wrote. "Thank you for trusting me from day one. I will remember you as a visionary coach and a keen connoisseur of football. Good luck for the future."

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

    Follow GOAL on Google
  • Real Madrid Training Session And Press ConferenceGetty Images Sport

    Arbeloa era begins with rest for star man

    With Alonso gone, the immediate future for Mbappe involves a necessary period of recovery. Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed as the successor, stepping up from the youth ranks to take the hottest seat in football. While Arbeloa does not yet know Mbappe personally, he has a crucial ally in his staff: Antonio Pintus.

    However, Arbeloa is unlikely to make the same request of Mbappe that Alonso did. With the urgency of saving a manager’s job now removed, common sense is expected to prevail regarding the player's fitness. Mbappe is unlikely to feature in the Copa del Rey clash against Albacete tomorrow, having already missed their first training session under the new coach.

Next matches
SAN

SAN

LaLiga

01 Nov 2026

RMA

RMA