ไทย
English
中國人
Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho fired back at what he called a media-driven campaign to put Kylian Mbappé under the microscope following the Frenchman's actions during the international break.
Mbappé drew criticism after sustaining a knee injury while on France duty. Photos emerged of him outside a Paris nightclub, and he also shared footage of himself riding a bike in Switzerland — just days after Mourinho had warned players against cycling due to the risk of injury.
The incidents sparked widespread speculation that all was not well behind the scenes at Madrid, with some suggesting a rift between Mourinho and Mbappé, and others even floating the possibility of the French star departing the Bernabéu.
Mourinho, however, made it clear he has no time for the chatter.
"It's ridiculous," Mourinho said regarding the backlash aimed at Mbappé. "I thought there were already enough genuine 'cases' in football over the past few weeks, but apparently that wasn't sufficient.
"There are major issues like the [Manchester City] situation, like the old story nobody wants to discuss [the Negreira case], like the complicated circumstances in my home country involving Cristiano Ronaldo and his manager. But that wasn't enough. Real Madrid is Real Madrid. I expected the first question to be about something real — a tough match — but here we are."
• ✍️ ANALYSIS: Could Kylian Mbappé Really Leave Real Madrid in 2027?
Mourinho Explains Mbappé's International Break Behavior
Mourinho refused to let the matter drop and instead provided a detailed explanation for everything that had been relentlessly dissected by those he accused of deliberately trying to stoke controversy.
"I don't lie," he stated. "The truth is that during this period, Real Madrid's players have been exemplary in their professional conduct. Those who picked up injuries came straight to Valdebebas, received their diagnosis, and were given their rehabilitation plan.
"Mbappé was here, he got his diagnosis, he consulted an external specialist — his knee has a history that cannot be overlooked — and there was complete alignment between Real Madrid's diagnosis and that of the outside consultant. As for his recovery, you don't need to know every detail. But then people start looking for problems.
"[In Paris] it wasn't a club in the traditional sense. It had been converted for a private event. Then in Switzerland, it was simply a hotel with small cottages, and each cottage had bikes available to reach the restaurants and spa. It was complete peace and quiet.
"You don't need to be Einstein to understand that [getting fans to boo Mbappé] is the goal. I hope the Bernabéu can be fair, and that means being smart enough to read between the lines.
"One thing I can promise is that when a Real Madrid player fails to act like a Real Madrid player, you won't see that player on the bench. They won't get the chance to be whistled at, because they'll be sitting at home."
• ✍️ Why Kylian Mbappe's Ballon d'Or Campaigning May Have Achieved Nothing
Mbappé to Start Against Villarreal
After all of that, an actual update on Mbappé's fitness finally arrived.
Mourinho declined to go into the specifics of the Frenchman's recovery timeline, but confirmed that supporters can expect to see Mbappé in the starting eleven when Villarreal come to the Bernabéu on Saturday.
"So tomorrow, Mbappé will play," Mourinho concluded. "He won't be on the bench, and if he plays, it's because I'm certain he hasn't let Real Madrid down. He hasn't failed to meet his obligations."