“Mbappe Out, Camavinga In: Key Updates Ahead of Real Madrid’s Rayo Vallecano Showdown”
“Kylian Mbappe Ruled Out of Rayo Vallecano Clash, Camavinga Returns for Real Madrid”
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, 25, will miss their LaLiga trip to Rayo Vallecano, while midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 22, has recovered from a hamstring injury and is back in the squad, manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed on Friday.
The French captain, who was substituted early in Madrid’s 3-2 Champions League victory over Atalanta on Tuesday, is sidelined with a left thigh injury and will sit out Saturday’s match against 12th-placed Rayo.
Camavinga, also a France international, sustained his injury during Madrid’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Liverpool at Anfield in November but is now fit to play.
“Kylian’s injury isn’t serious. He won’t play tomorrow, but he’ll travel to Qatar for Wednesday’s Intercontinental Cup final, and we’ll assess his condition there. Camavinga is ready and available for tomorrow,” said Ancelotti.
Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid from PSG on a free transfer in June, leads the team in LaLiga scoring with nine goals in 15 matches.
Ancelotti added, “In recent breaks, Kylian has been resting and working hard. Thankfully, he’ll only be out briefly, and he won’t lose the momentum he’s built.”
Real Madrid sits second in LaLiga with 36 points from 16 matches, trailing leaders Barcelona by two points. After a 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao, Madrid bounced back with a 3-0 win over Girona and a critical Champions League triumph over Serie A leaders Atalanta.
Reflecting on the Atalanta match, Ancelotti said, “It was a tough night, but we showed commitment, attitude, and teamwork. It was a complete performance that boosts optimism. While Wednesday is crucial, our focus is on tomorrow’s game.”
