Kylian Mbappé misses El Clásico for Real Madrid against Barcelona at Camp Nou
The forward did not recover in time
MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 09: Kylian Mbappé and Thiago Pitarch of Real Madrid are training at Ciudad Real Madrid on May 09, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images) | Real Madrid via Getty Images Barcelona walks into tonight’s El Clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou with a clear path to the trophy. If they avoid defeat, the league title is officially theirs.
It is a grim outlook for the visitors, who confirmed just before traveling that Kylian Mbappé will not be on the plane. The French forward had participated in sessions earlier in the week, but his recovery hit a wall at the worst possible moment. The situation turned on a dime during the final minutes of Saturday’s training at Valdebebas.
According to Diario MARCA, Kylian Mbappé stopped abruptly with only five minutes left on the clock. He informed the staff of sharp discomfort in his hamstrings and left the pitch immediately. This sudden exit caught the technical team off guard, as they had been feeling quite positive about his progress after a previous quad injury.
The club’s official line is that Kylian Mbappé hasn’t reached the competitive fitness levels required for a game of this magnitude. But for a fanbase already frustrated by his frequent travel and lack of impact in big moments, the timing feels like a massive letdown. It leaves Álvaro Arbeloa without a player who historically poses a problem for Barcelona, boasting a record of a goal every 67 minutes against them.