Kylian Mbappé recently rejoined the Real Madrid squad after several weeks of absence due to injury. Following his return, he immediately linked up with his French national teammates for friendly matches in the United States against Brazil and Colombia. Mbappé reassured the press, declaring he felt “100% recovered” and that his knee was now fine. Reportedly dissatisfied with Real Madrid’s medical personnel, the player traveled to Paris to seek a second opinion from a knee specialist. He subsequently underwent a rehabilitation program, which ultimately negated the need for surgery.
According to various reports, Real Madrid’s medical team committed a “catastrophic error,” a blunder that allegedly put Mbappé’s career in serious jeopardy. French journalist Daniel Riolo stated, “What could have been very serious is that due to this misdiagnosis, he could have completely injured himself because he didn’t stop playing immediately.”
Riolo further explained that Real Madrid’s medical staff reportedly misdiagnosed Mbappé when the French player sustained an injury in December 2025. The error was so significant, he claimed, that they examined the wrong knee. “What is being said in ‘official circles’ is that the blunder is absolutely enormous. They say they examined the wrong knee at Real Madrid,” Riolo asserted.
Mbappé was initially told he could continue playing and did so in the early months of 2026. However, his pain worsened over time, exposing him to the risk of a much more severe injury. It was only after consulting Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in France that he reportedly realized the inadequate assessment by the Madrid doctors.
“For Real Madrid, what happened is a total disgrace, and I think we avoided the worst for Mbappé,” Riolo declared. “This misdiagnosis could have been much more serious because Mbappé took a long time to find out what was wrong. He had other commitments, he even played some matches without knowing exactly what was wrong. He could have completely wrecked his knee.”
Real Madrid’s Medical Staff Fired Over “Worse Than Catastrophic” Mbappé Error
According to Riolo, Real Madrid dismissed its entire medical staff in January, with the significant blunder concerning Mbappé being a major catalyst. “We were told it was because there were many injuries at Real Madrid,” Riolo said. “I can say that it’s because the diagnosis of Mbappé’s knee was so catastrophic, and certainly worse than catastrophic, as it was an absolutely major error. And that’s why they fired everyone, in addition to the series of injuries, but largely it’s because of that.”
While acknowledging that this account comes from a French journalist, Daniel Riolo staunchly defended his report, challenging, “Do you think I’m making things up? Real Madrid fired everyone. There you have it. Can you imagine the humiliation for a club like Real Madrid?”