Overview
- Multiple outlets, citing RMC and The Athletic, reported that in December 2025 Real Madrid’s staff ran an MRI on Kylian Mbappé’s right leg instead of his injured left knee, leaving the actual inflammation unchecked.
- According to those reports, Mbappé kept playing for weeks with the left knee problem before seeking a second opinion in Paris, where knee specialist Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet provided a new diagnosis and a rehab plan.
- Mbappé later told reporters the wrong‑knee story was false and said poor communication from his side let rumors spread, while adding he is 100% recovered and back with France for friendlies in the United States.
- Journalist Daniel Riolo linked the alleged diagnostic mistake to dismissals in Real Madrid’s medical department, a claim echoed in Italian coverage, though the club has not confirmed that explanation.
- The Athletic’s sourced reporting and RMC’s radio claim drove the narrative, while Mbappé’s public denial and return to late Champions League and LaLiga minutes shifted the focus to accountability and transparency in elite team medicine.