Mbappé doubtful as Real Madrid aims to bounce back from shock La Liga loss

By Canadian Press on February 26, 2026.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid will aim to bounce back from a shock La Liga loss that cost it the league lead when it hosts Getafe on Monday.

Madrid may not be able to count on star striker Kylian Mbappé, who has been sidelined by a nagging knee injury.

Barcelona, meanwhile, has a tough game against Villarreal this weekend just days before it will try to conjure up a huge comeback and keep its Copa del Rey title defense alive.

Key matches

Mbappé, who leads the league with 23 goals, missed Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Benfica that sent his team into the round of 16 of the Champions League.

But he was on the field in Pamplona last weekend when Osasuna stunned Madrid 2-1. That loss allowed Barcelona to move back ahead of Madrid by one point after 25 rounds.

Barcelona hosts third-placed Villarreal on Saturday, three days before it must visit Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal needing to overturn a 4-0 loss in their first meeting.

Players to watch

Vinícius Júnior has five goals in his last four games for Madrid. If Mbappé is still out, he will lead the attack against an always stiff Getafe defense.

New Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman has scored four times since joining from Atalanta in the winter transfer market. Atletico, in fourth place, hosts bottom side Real Oviedo on Saturday.

Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi has struck 16 goals this campaign, second in La Liga to only Mbappé. But his team fired coach Jagoba Arrasate this week after it fell into the relegation zone. It hosts Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Out of action

Besides Mbappé, Madrid’s injured also include Jude Bellingham, Eder Militao and Dani Ceballos.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press

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