The Spanish giants are leading the La Liga standings, two points ahead of Barcelona, after winning seven of their first eight matches. Despite last month's 5–2 defeat to Atletico Madrid, Xabi Alonso's side have impressed under their new manager, who continues to blend his attacking philosophy with the club's talented squad.

However, Madrid's momentum has been disrupted by fresh injury concerns. Franco Mastantuono, who joined the club in the summer, has withdrawn from Argentina's under-20 squad after suffering a muscle problem. The 18-year-old midfielder has returned to Madrid for further assessment and could be sidelined for a couple of weeks as a precaution.

The bigger concern is Kylian Mbappe. The French forward limped off late in France's 3–0 World Cup qualifier win over Azerbaijan at the Parc des Princes. Mbappe scored the opener and set up Adrien Rabiot's goal before being replaced in the 83rd minute after taking another knock to the same ankle that troubled him against Villarreal before the international break.

France manager Didier Deschamps admitted the injury was a concern, telling reporters: "He took a hit on the same ankle. The pain decreases when he is resting. In football matches, inevitably there is contact. We'll see about the injury later. He has discomfort and that is not ideal for him."

Mbappe, who has been in electrifying form with 14 goals and two assists in 10 appearances for Real Madrid this season, will miss France's next qualifier against Iceland. He will return to Valdebebas for medical tests to determine the extent of the damage.

Early reports suggest he could miss Real Madrid's upcoming league clash with Getafe on 19 October and remains a doubt for the highly anticipated El Clasico against Barcelona later this month.

Madrid are also without young defender Dean Huijsen, who picked up a muscle injury on international duty and is expected to be out for several weeks.

For Alonso, the injuries are an unwelcome setback at a time when Real Madrid have been building rhythm and confidence. The coming weeks could test the squad's depth as they prepare for a crucial run of fixtures in both La Liga and the Champions League.

PSL confirms Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final fixtures