Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, has angered some of the team’s followers following a vacation in Sardinia, setting off a new media frenzy ahead of Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona.
The striker’s trip to Italy during Real Madrid’s recovery days for injured players, such as Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, and Arda Guler, was the tipping point for many Madrid supporters.
Some supporters of United are publicly demanding that the French superstar depart after a shared image of Mbappe with a “Fuera (out)” stamp over his face was first uploaded by a parody account and then reproduced in the comments area of Real Madrid’s official posts.
Additionally, a petition asking Madrid supporters to “make their voices heard” has been making the rounds on social media. It says, “If you believe change is necessary, do not remain silent: sign this petition and defend what you believe is best for the future of the club.”
Widely circulated images of Mbappe with actress Ester Exposito, which were released on social media as Real Madrid prepared for a pivotal La Liga match against Espanyol last weekend in an attempt to postpone Barcelona’s title celebrations, added fuel to the fire.
Coach Alvaro Arbeloa later stated that “each player does what they consider appropriate in their free time” and that it was “none of my business” after Real Madrid won the game 2-0. Nonetheless, a number of his remarks were interpreted as subtly disparaging his top scorer.
“Through effort and sacrifice, we built Real Madrid with players who finish games with shirts full of sweat and mud, not with players who play in tuxedos,” he stated.
Arbeloa continued, “a club where, fortunately, no player has ever been, is, or ever will be bigger than Real Madrid.”
When contacted by AFP, Mbappe’s team stated that “part of the criticism is based on an over-interpretation of elements linked to a recovery period that is strictly supervised by the club” and that it has nothing to do with “the reality of the commitment and daily work Kylian puts in for the team.”
Earlier this season, on The Bridge, a podcast produced by his Real Madrid and France teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, the France captain, who is used to sometimes excessive scrutiny, discussed his thinking.
Mbappe remarked, “I’ve reached a point where you’re going to get criticized whatever you do, so you might as well do what you want—at least then you stay true to yourself.”
Mbappe continues to be Real Madrid’s top scorer with 41 goals in 41 games in all competitions this season. However, since coming back from injury in mid-March, he has faced harsh criticism, with some observers accusing him of taking an excessively individualistic stance.
Despite having established himself as a leader earlier in the season, Mbappe is reportedly growing more and more alone in the dressing room due to frustration at a second season at Madrid without a big prize, according to Spanish media.
Following Sunday’s victory, several supporters and commentators have cited remarks made by teammates Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham as indications of a developing breach with the France captain.
“We played together and engaged in combat. Vinicius told Real Madrid TV, “When we play like that, we are better and stronger.” Meanwhile, Bellingham urged his teammates on Instagram to be “together” and give their everything “until the very last whistle” of the season.
Vinicius and Bellingham won the Champions League together prior to Mbappe’s arrival, and their amicable social media interactions have stoked rumors of a fresh ego conflict inside the Madrid team.
