Real Madrid confirm Mbappe thigh injury, Clasico appearance in doubt

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Kylian Mbappe's participation in the May 10 Clasico is now uncertain after Real Madrid disclosed on Monday that the French forward is nursing a thigh problem.

In an official statement, Los Blancos said: "He has been diagnosed with an injury to the semitendinosus muscle in his left leg." The France captain had to be withdrawn during last Friday's 1-1 La Liga stalemate with Real Betis.

Sitting second in Spain's top division and trailing leaders Barcelona by 11 points, Madrid travel to Espanyol on Sunday before squaring off with the Catalan side a week later.

The club had first described the issue as a muscular overload, but additional medical tests revealed that their leading scorer was in fact injured.

Should Madrid fail to take all three points at Espanyol while Barcelona beat Osasuna on Saturday, Hansi Flick's team will lift back-to-back La Liga titles.

Fitness setbacks have shadowed Mbappe throughout the campaign, raising alarm in France ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 27-year-old, who lifted the World Cup in 2018, previously endured a two-month layoff with a knee complaint — the longest spell on the sidelines of his career — saying it brought him "frustration, anger and anxiety".