Erling Haaland Expresses Regret Over Kylian Mbappé’s Absence

Last night, at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid lost to Manchester City (1-2) on matchday six of the Champions League group stage. Kylian Mbappé, who was uncertain due to a muscle strain and a fracture in his left ring finger, remained on the bench and did not play. To fill the gap left by his absence, coach Xabi Alonso relied on young players Gonzalo García and Endrick. Rodrygo managed to score Madrid’s only goal, but it was not enough to avoid another defeat against the defending European champions.

After the match, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland commented, “Did we get a boost from Mbappé’s absence? We’re aware of their injuries; we have some as well, but they have quite a few. No one wants to see players get hurt, but we expected him to play. I looked forward to facing Kylian today. However, when a player like him is missing, it’s disappointing because we want to compete against the best, but it does give a slight psychological boost.” Kylian Mbappé will take note of this.