Kylian Mbappé has not been playing recently because he is dealing with a left knee injury (sprain/twisted knee) that Real Madrid are managing carefully to avoid making it worse.

Quick Scoop

  • Mbappé picked up knee problems in early December and then aggravated the injury in training on December 30, which led to him being ruled out for about two to three weeks.
  • Because of this, Real Madrid left him out of parts of the Spanish Super Cup, including the trip and some matches, so he could stay back and focus on recovery instead of risking a setback.
  • Club and coach updates describe it as a sprain/minor knee issue: he has missed several games, but there is optimism he can return around mid‑January, with some reports listing him as a “minor doubt” or an option from the bench rather than a guaranteed starter.

Today’s “why is Mbappé not playing?” angle

When people ask “why is Mbappé not playing today?”, the most common current reasons are:

  1. Ongoing knee sprain – medical staff are protecting him from worsening the injury, especially with Real Madrid depending heavily on his goals.
  1. Not fully match‑fit – even when he is included in the squad, the coach may decide not to start him or only use him as a substitute if the game allows.
  1. Normal rotation in some games – more generally, stars like Mbappé can also miss games due to tactical rotation, suspensions, or personal reasons, but in this current period the knee issue is the key factor.

Forum and trending chatter

  • On forums and social media, fans are debating whether Real Madrid are being too cautious or just smart, since Mbappé has been involved in more than half of the team’s goals this season and playing him half‑fit could be risky.
  • There is also speculation that the club is targeting the biggest fixtures (like Supercopa and key league games) and will only unleash him when medical staff give a clear green light.

In short, if you see Mbappé missing from the lineup right now, the safest assumption is: knee sprain + controlled comeback , not some hidden drama.

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