Kylian Mbappe is set to miss all of Real Madrid’s pre-season, but revealed when he expects to make his debut during his unveiling at the Bernabeu this week.
Mbappe’s new long-term contract with Madrid was announced at the start of June, but the player was forced to wait before joining his teammates after participating at Euro 2024 with France. Concerns also remained over the possibility of Mbappe requiring further surgery on his nose after breaking it during the tournament.
For now, the French star will take a holiday to rest after a long 2023/24 season before settling into life at Madrid.
“I am in contact with the doctors and they will tell me when I return from my holiday,” he told reporters at the Bernabeu. “We have already spoken with [fitness coach Antonio] Pintus to design a pre-season programme. It’s going to be a long season, we need special preparation.
“I spoke with the doctors and we will see what we will do and I will surely play in the [UEFA] Super Cup, but it depends on the coach. I’m going to work to be ready.”
As Champions League winners from last season, Madrid will play Europa League holders Atalanta in UEFA’s annual curtain raiser at Poland’s National Stadium in Warsaw on 14 August.
Madrid last won the Super Cup in 2022 and would go ahead of Barcelona as the competition’s all-time most successful club should they beat Atalanta next month. Both currently have won it five times, with Madrid winning four in the last decade alone.
If Mbappe makes his debut in this year’s game, he will do it wearing the number nine shirt assigned for this season. That is only expected to be temporary, however, with the Frenchman expected to move to the number ten jersey next summer when newly appointed captain Luka Modric moves on.