Real Madrid Duo Mbappe and Bellingham Withdraw from Copa del Rey Quarterfinals Against Leganes

Real Madrid will miss the services of forward Kylian Mbappe (26) and midfielder Jude Bellingham (21) for the Copa del Rey quarter-final clash against Leganes on Wednesday, as confirmed by manager Carlo Ancelotti on the day prior to the match.

The pair join midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and defenders David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger on the sidelines, along with long-term injuries affecting Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal.

France’s captain Mbappe has found the net 21 times in 33 appearances across all competitions since his free transfer from French champions Paris Saint Germain to the Santiago Bernabeu in June, while England international Bellingham has scored 10 goals in 30 outings.

“Bellingham received a knock and has a bruise, so he will not be available. Vinicius Jr has been given an additional day to recover and will be ready for tomorrow,” Ancelotti informed reporters on Tuesday.

“Mbappe trained today but sustained a bruise to his calf. He trained normally but won’t be available for the match tomorrow.”

Madrid are currently leading LaLiga with 49 points from 22 matches, just one point in front of second-placed Atletico Madrid, and are facing a challenging schedule in the coming days as Ancelotti tackles an ongoing defensive injury crisis.

Their trip to Leganes will be followed by a home derby against Atletico on Saturday and a Champions League knockout phase play-off against Manchester City on February 11th.

“I need to focus on how to manage this emergency situation. We experienced something similar last year and handled it well. Young players will step up and demonstrate their capabilities. We’ll be counting on (20-year-old defender) Jacobo (Ramon),” Ancelotti emphasised.

While Madrid opted not to make any new signings during the January transfer window, which closed on Monday, their Champions League rivals City have spent over £180 million (approximately $223 million) on new recruits, including Spanish midfielder Nico and Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush.

“I have to consider the upcoming match against City and the players they’ve brought in,” Ancelotti remarked.

“They are consistently competitive. However, we have other matters to address at present.”