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Mbappé Out! Real Madrid Faces Betis Challenge
4 Jan
Summary
- Real Madrid trails Barcelona by seven points in La Liga.
- Kylian Mbappé sidelined for three weeks with knee injury.
- Real Betis has one win in their last five meetings with Real Madrid.
Real Madrid makes their 2026 debut on Sunday, hosting Real Betis at the Bernabéu. A difficult end to 2025 saw them relinquish the La Liga lead to Barcelona, leaving coach Xabi Alonso under pressure. They currently trail their rivals by seven points, making a victory essential to narrow the gap.
The team faces significant personnel issues, most notably the knee injury sidelining Kylian Mbappé for at least three weeks. The talismanic forward's absence from the attack will be keenly felt. Further complicating matters, Dean Huijsen missed the last training session, adding to a list of potential absentees that could include six key players.
Despite these setbacks, Real Madrid's star attackers, including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham, are expected to step up. Real Betis, however, comes into the match in good form and will be confident, having secured one win and three draws in their last five encounters with Real Madrid, highlighting the potential for a closely contested fixture.
