Real Madrid found themselves in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons at a crucial moment in their season. With the club trailing Barcelona by four points in La Liga and preparing for a high-stakes UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, attention has turned from their ambitions on the pitch to growing concerns about the club’s medical management.
At the center of the controversy is star forward Kylian Mbappe, who was reportedly released despite having a knee injury after a major diagnostic error. According to a report by The Athletic, as cited by Goal.com, Real Madrid’s medical staff mistakenly examined Mbappe’s right knee instead of his injured left knee in December 2025.
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Since the right knee was healthy, the scan showed no problems and Mbappe was given the go-ahead to continue the game. The Frenchman appeared in three games and unwittingly aggravated his injury before the mistake was eventually discovered.
A fresh scan of his right knee later revealed a partial tear in the posterior ligament of his left knee. The 27-year-old was reportedly “furious” when he learned of the misdiagnosis, with the incident said to have played a role in his decision to sack members of his personal medical team earlier this year.
The episode has intensified scrutiny of Real Madrid’s medical department, which has seen several changes in recent years. Former chief physician Dr. Niko Mihic, who left in 2023, was re-hired last summer after restructuring. Lingering injury concerns have also raised alarm in the squad, with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Alvaro Carreras missing in recent weeks.
Further controversy arose after former nutritionist Itziar Gonzalez claimed club staff relied on artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT for advice on nutritional supplements, sparking a debate about professionalism and standards.
Despite the uproar, Mbappe has publicly downplayed concerns about his fitness.
“My knee is fine. It’s getting better. Things are going pretty well and I know there’s been a lot of speculation and untrue things said about it. That’s the life of a top athlete,” he said.
He added that he underwent further diagnostics in Paris and is now “100% fit” as he prepares for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
March 25, 2026 11:49 AM IST
