Story byHow the Talavera incident has forced Real Madrid to rethink player management – reportMadrid UniversalTue, January 20, 2026 at 8:25 AM UTC·2 min readAccording to a recent report from AS, Real Madrid have made a strong decision to change their approach to player management for the remainder of the season. The outlet mentions that the club is determined to avoid repeating situations like the one involving Kylian Mbappe earlier in the campaign, with all focus now shifting towards a single, overriding objective, which is the Champions League. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe turning point came back in mid-December, when Real Madrid faced Talavera. Despite internal concerns surrounding Mbappe’s physical condition, the French forward not only featured in the match but also completed the full 90 minutes in a hard-fought 3–2 victory. At the time, the decision was seen as a calculated risk, but the consequences soon became clear. Repercussions of the decisionIn the aftermath of that game, Mbappe was forced to miss two key fixtures. He was unavailable for a crucial La Liga clash against Real Betis, and also sat out the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid. Mbappe played against Talavera despite physical issues. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThose absences only reinforced the feeling inside the club that risks had been taken unnecessarily, especially during a season where margins are extremely fine. As a result, Real Madrid’s sporting and medical departments have now aligned on a revised plan.