Real Madrid face off against SL Benfica today in the UEFA Champions League without their ace goalscorer Kylian Mbappe.The French superstar was ruled out of the contest after it emerged that he had

With a blockbuster showdown against Manchester City looming in the UEFA Champions League, anxiety has rippled through the Santiago Bernabeu. The latest update, however, offers a more positive outlook.

Real Madrid have been plunged into a state of nervous anticipation following the Champions League draw in Nyon after club director Emilio Butragueno admitted that Kylian Mbappe is a major doubt for their upcoming showdown with Manchester City.

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid is hoping Kylian Mbappé will be back in “a matter of days” after he missed Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs. The result sent Madrid to the round of 16 with a 3-1 aggregate result.

If he scores five goals at the 2026 World Cup in North America, Mbappe, currently on 12, would overtake Miroslav Klose (16) to become, at the age of 27, the tournament’s all-time top scorer.

Kylian Mbappé leads the way in the race to be 2025/26 UEFA Champions League top scorer with 13 goals after just eight appearances, three goals ahead of Anthony Gordon.

Real Madrid will aim to bounce back from a shock La Liga loss that cost it the league lead when it hosts Getafe on Monday

As the 2026 World Cup approaches, anticipation is building across the global football landscape. But for France, that excitement is now accompanied by a growing sense of unease. Ac