Kylian Mbappé escaped a nightmare that threatened his entire season by making one swift decision, a press report claimed on Tuesday.
According to the newspaper "AS", the Real Madrid star began work on Monday to restore the health of his left knee, a day after his condition stabilised. He resumes that treatment today.
His recovery is coming along well at Valdebebas. Mbappé knows he dodged a bitter nightmare. The injury he suffered on international duty was not serious, a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of the knee, with expectations of an absence of between 10 and 12 days. But it almost turned into something far bigger.
Kylian stopped playing after feeling pain following his goal in the Turkey and France match last Friday, and that proved decisive. The examinations indicate that had he continued, he would have faced a major risk of a very serious injury, one that could have destroyed his entire season.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, stayed in direct and immediate contact with the medical staff of the French Football Federation. They even feared he might need surgery.
In the end, the tests confirmed no surgery was needed. That was welcome news for Los Blancos, though they will handle the French star with caution.
When will Mbappé return to matches?
Based on his expected recovery period, he should be ready to return to competition on the tenth of October against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Expectations are one thing. The possible outcomes of putting him back on the pitch are another, and that is what José Mourinho is preparing for.
Should Kylian recover, the fixture schedule will be brutally congested. Real Madrid play two important away matches straight after: Roma on the fourteenth, and the Clásico at the Camp Nou on the twenty-fifth. Timing Mbappé's return precisely is therefore vital.
Solutions to make up for Mbappé's absence
The technical staff have a good range of solutions if they ultimately decide to rest him. Mourinho has four different options for organising the attack. The most obvious is to keep things as they are and play Espí instead of the Frenchman, although the Portuguese coach views the under-21 international as a striking offensive force to break through defences if a match does not go to plan.
Bellingham in the false nine role, reminiscent of his early days under Ancelotti, is the other main option available to Mourinho.
With the team's top scorer absent, the second-best scorer in that position comes in, namely the England man, and with Güler behind him, the Turk can start alongside Diomande on the right wing.
These line-ups may change if Mourinho decides to alter the plan, which is unlikely. But everything hinges on the decision over Mbappé. Real Madrid do not want to see him injured as they did last season, when he stopped completely, received treatment from the renowned specialist Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet, and fully recovered from his knee problem. This time, he will not return until he is fully fit.