Kylian Mbappe’s injury is now a thing of the past. His return leaves no room for doubt. “I told you that the day I returned, I would be at 100%. In Manchester, he proved it. Everything is based on feelings: how he felt and how he is in training,” Alvaro Arbeloa explained ahead of the derby at the Bernabeu.

His minutes against Manchester City were not just a return, but a statement of intent. Behind him is a knee sprain that lasted longer than expected, perhaps longer than advisable, in a constant attempt not to stop. Because Mbappe found it too hard to stop.

He joined the Spanish Super Cup final at the last minute and, from there, he strung together his most recognizable form: nine goals in six matches. Called up against Real Sociedad, although he came off the bench, he traveled to Lisbon to face Benfica and played a final match against Osasuna at El Sadar. That was his last appearance in a starting XI.

On the eve of the return leg against Benfica, his body said enough. The discomfort, which had never completely disappeared, returned with greater intensity, and tests confirmed the inevitable: the injury was still there. It was time to stop. A strange period then began, almost uncharacteristic of a player of his nature.

A total of 42 days without scoring. A desert for a footballer who has built his career on goals, although even up to that point, even limited, he had continued to produce with astonishing regularity. His last goal, at Mestalla, remained a distant reference.

Now, the context is different. Mbappe returns to a team that has grown without him. Arbeloa has managed to adjust the lines, strengthen the block, and raise the competitive level from a collective standpoint. The team has learned to compete and win through balance.

An order that will be tested with the return of No. 10 to the white starting XI. But the next step demands something more. It demands recovering the player who makes the difference. And that means reintegrating Mbappe, reorganizing the system, and restoring his prominence without breaking what has been built.

The signs invite optimism. After his stint in Manchester, his feelings have only improved. At Valdebebas, they convey that he is at 100% and with overwhelming desire. His last start, on Feb. 21 in Pamplona, was the reflection of an unrecognizable footballer. Without explosiveness, without advantage in one-on-ones, without that instinct that makes him decisive. That marked the limit, and it was time to stop.

Today, the scenario is different. More rest, better feelings, and a clear objective on the immediate horizon. Mbappe returns after his journey through the desert. And he does so at the exact moment when the team needs him to become what he has always been: decisive. “He is definitely going to play, and I see no problem with him going with the national team. I think it’s great,” he assured.

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