The French player Kylian Mbappe is experiencing a clear decline in his performance with Real Madrid, as he suffers from pain in his left knee, which has significantly affected his technical and physical presence in recent matches.

The French star was unable to score in the last two matches and appeared far from his usual level in terms of decisiveness, speed, and sprints, which are among his key strengths.

Despite coach Álvaro Arbeloa's assertion that the knee condition has improved recently, the performance on the field does not reflect full readiness for the player at this critical stage of the season.

Real Madrid is preparing to face Benfica on Wednesday evening at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the second leg of the playoff qualifying for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, amid expectations that Mbappé will be included in the starting lineup.

However, technical data suggests that starting him from the beginning may not be the best option in a match of such importance, especially given his current decline in performance.

It might be more appropriate to keep the French star on the bench, relying on striker Gonzalo Garcia in the forward position, and giving Mbappe the opportunity to enter the match depending on its developments, to ensure maximum benefit without risking his physical readiness.