Real Madrid have endured several injuries this campaign with a number of key players missing, including Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, who are out for the rest of the season with ACL tears.
Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful that Kylian Mbappe will not be on the sidelines for a long period after the France star netted in the 3-2 Champions League win against Atalanta on Tuesday but was forced off with an injury a few minutes scoring the opening goal.
“Mbappe has suffered an overload, an ischial [lower pelvis] discomfort,” Ancelotti told Movistar Plus.
“It doesn’t seem serious, but we’ll see tomorrow after the exams. He couldn’t sprint, it was bothering him a bit and we decided to make the substitution.”
Mbappe has faced heavy criticism for his poor form in his first few months with Real Madrid after signing on a free contract from Paris St Germain, but the 25-year-old was having arguably one of his best games of the season at Atalanta, scoring the opener in the 10th minute and making menacing runs.
However, his night lasted only 35 minutes, when he fell to the floor and asked to be replaced before being substituted by Rodrygo.
Vinicius Jr, who made his returned to the side after missing the last two weeks with a muscle injury, was quite absent for most of the game but made the most of the chance he got, scoring in the 56th minute to put the visitors back in front following Charles de Ketelaere’s equaliser with a penalty just before the break.
Jude Bellingham extended Real’s lead three minutes later and, after Ademola Lookman cut the deficit on 65 minutes, visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois showed his quality with a string of good saves to secure a hard-fought win.
With two games left, Real are 18th in the 36-team log on nine points, three points off the top eight spots which secure automatic qualification to the round of 16, meanwhile, Atalanta are ninth on 11 points.
“It’s a very important victory, not everyone wins here,” Ancelotti said.
“We suffered and fought hard, there is no Champions League without suffering. They were pushing, but we started well in the second half. We are very happy. It was a win that is very good for us, not just for the points, but to build confidence.
“It’s still difficult to finish in the top eight, but we have two games to pick up points. Let’s see what happens.”
