Kylian Mbappé was forced off with a thigh injury during Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Atalanta on Tuesday, just after scoring the opening goal.

The French forward made a strong start, finding the back of the net in the 10th minute after a well-timed run behind the defense. However, his night took a turn for the worse in the 36th minute when he went down holding his thigh. He was substituted shortly after, and it has been reported by The Athletic that Mbappé will undergo a scan to assess the severity of the injury.

Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping the injury is not serious, as Madrid is already without key players including David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Eduardo Camavinga.

Following Mbappé’s exit, Atalanta responded just before halftime, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring to level the match and give Ancelotti additional concerns heading into the break.

Kylian Mbappé was forced off with an injury during Real Madrid’s hard-fought 3-2 win over Atalanta, after giving his side the lead in the 10th minute.

However, the veteran Italian duo of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. helped Real Madrid regain control after the break, each scoring a goal.

The match wasn’t without its tense moments, as Atalanta struck back in the 65th minute through Ademola Lookman, making for a nervy finish for Los Blancos. Despite the pressure, Madrid held on to secure a crucial three points, climbing to 18th in the Champions League standings.

Mbappé has seen a noticeable improvement in form since his reported discussions with key Real Madrid players following a 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao. The 25-year-old admitted to his shortcomings and vowed to show his true potential going forward, expressing his desire to be a leader for the team as they aim to return to last season’s level of performance.

His comments have been positively received by the Real Madrid hierarchy, who expected this kind of leadership when he joined the club.

The criticism aimed at Mbappé hasn’t just centered around his goal-scoring record, but also his demeanor on the pitch, with some fans claiming he appears disinterested and lacking in work rate at times.

With goals against Atalanta and Girona, Mbappé has now scored 12 goals in 22 appearances in his debut season with the Spanish giants.

Mbappe scored his 12th goal of the campaign – and second in the competition – early on.

The 25-year-old showed his clinical finishing once again, making a well-timed run behind the Atalanta defense before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

Mbappé also recently shared his thoughts on his departure from PSG, reflecting on where things went wrong at the club. He pointed out the club’s “obsession” with winning the Champions League, as well as his final conversation with the Emir of Qatar.

“PSG, the club meant a lot to me,” Mbappé said in an interview with Clique on Canal+. “I spent seven years there; it’s an intense place, both in the good and bad times. I had seven extraordinary years. Maybe the mistake I made was that I mixed everything up.”

‘I had conflicts with people, I defended my rights as a player, but that didn’t represent the club. I never mixed everything up with the players, the people at the Campus, the people on staff.’