Real Madrid talisman Kylian Mbappe could miss the upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona on May 10 due to suspension, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Despite facing the prospect of going trophyless in back-to-back seasons, Mbappe has once again been in remarkable form for Los Blancos,
Since joining from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, the France international has taken up the mantle of chief goalscorer and is delivering at a world-class level.
Mbappe has netted 41 goals in 40 games across all competitions this season, despite dealing with niggling injuries.
He increased his La Liga tally to 24 goals after scoring the opener in the 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu.
Mbappe is on course to win the La Liga Golden Boot in back-to-back campaigns after pipping Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski to the coveted prize last term.
Despite leading the way, Mbappe will likely be looking over his shoulder until the end of the season, with RCD Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi breathing down his neck.
Muriqi has scored 21 goals but has a better conversion rate than his Madrid counterpart – 22% compared to Mbappe’s 19%.
However, with another fixture approaching against Real Betis at La Cartuja, Mbappe has a clear chance to stretch that lead even further and tighten his grip on the golden boot.
The Mallorca marksman could yet leapfrog Mbappe if the Madrid striker triggers an automatic one-match suspension over the next two games.
Having already accumulated four yellow cards, Mbappe is walking a disciplinary tightrope.
The Frenchman is one caution away from being suspended, which doesn’t bode well for Los Blancos, especially with a crucial El Clasico at Spotify Camp Nou coming up.
The blockbuster contest could shape the title race, either delaying Barcelona’s celebrations or forcing Madrid to watch their rivals crowned champions.
They can’t afford to go into that game without Mbappe leading the line.
However, there’s a decent chance that Mbappe could choose to pick up a fifth yellow card in the upcoming La Liga clash with Real Betis.
Doing so would rule him out of the following league match against RCD Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium, clearing him to play in El Clasico without risk.
However, if he avoids a booking against Betis, he’ll need to come through the meeting with Espanyol unscathed to ensure he leads the line against Barcelona.
