Kylian Mbappé is expected to return from his current knee injury around mid- to-late March 2026, with Real Madrid reportedly targeting the Champions League last‑16 second leg against Manchester City on March 17 as the most likely comeback date.

Quick Scoop: When will Mbappé return?

  • Recent reports say Mbappé’s knee injury has kept him out of Real Madrid’s last few games and will also rule him out of the first leg vs Manchester City on March 11 and the league match against Elche on March 14.
  • Multiple outlets report that Real Madrid staff are hopeful he will be ready for the second leg away at Manchester City on March 17, seeing that as the main target for his return.
  • At the same time, there is still some uncertainty: medical opinions between Real Madrid and the French setup differ slightly on how long he should be out, with some suggesting it could be “weeks, not days,” so nothing is 100% guaranteed yet.

What managers and reports are saying

  • Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has said Mbappé is “improving more and more” and the club is optimistic he can make it back in time for that Manchester City second leg.
  • Earlier guidance from Spanish media suggested roughly a three‑week absence, which would also line up with a mid‑March return window.

What about France and the March international break?

  • Because of this injury, France have reportedly decided not to call Mbappé for the March international window, even with the 2026 World Cup now very close, so he is expected to stay with Real Madrid and focus on recovery instead of traveling with the national team.

Simple timeline

  1. Now – early March 2026: Sidelined with knee issue, already missed several Real Madrid matches.
  1. March 11: Expected to miss the first Champions League leg vs Manchester City.
  1. March 14: Expected to miss La Liga match vs Elche.
  1. Around March 17: Most likely target for Mbappé’s return, the Champions League last‑16 second leg vs Manchester City, if recovery stays on track.
  1. Late March: Not expected to play for France in their U.S. friendlies vs Brazil (March 26) and Colombia (March 29), as reports say he will not travel for this international break.

Mini HTML summary table

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Date (2026) Match/Context Mbappé status (reported)
March 11 Real Madrid vs Manchester City, UCL last‑16 first leg Expected to be out.
March 14 Real Madrid vs Elche, La Liga Expected to be out.
March 17 Manchester City vs Real Madrid, UCL last‑16 second leg Targeted return date, not yet fully guaranteed.
March 26 & 29 France vs Brazil / Colombia, March friendlies in USA Reportedly will not join France squad due to injury.

As with any injury comeback, this timeline can shift if there’s a setback or if medical staff decide to be more cautious, so “around March 17” should be seen as a strong but still tentative estimate based on current reporting.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.