Mbappé responds after boos at the Bernabéu

Kylian Mbappé said he understood why he had not been included in Real Madrid’s starting XI for the 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo, claiming he was viewed as the fourth attacking option by coach Alvaro Arbeloa. The France international entered the match in the 69th minute on Thursday and was greeted by whistles from sections of the Bernabeu crowd.

Vinícius Júnior, Gonzalo García, and Franco Mastantuono were all selected ahead of the 27-year-old in attack. Mbappé had recently been sidelined with a thigh issue and also missed the defeat against Barcelona that confirmed the La Liga title for their rivals.

Despite the criticism surrounding him, the striker insisted he was fully fit and prepared to start the game. He added that the manager’s choices must be respected and admitted he needed to improve if he wanted to move ahead of his teammates in the pecking order.

Arbeloa rejects striker’s interpretation

Arbeloa later disputed Mbappe’s explanation and revealed the pair had spoken before the encounter. According to the Madrid coach, the player may have misunderstood the conversation because someone unavailable only a few days earlier should not immediately return to the starting lineup.

The Spaniard pointed out that the fixture was not a decisive contest, and therefore there was no reason to take unnecessary risks with the forward after his recent injury absence. Mbappé, however, repeated that he had no issue with the coach and accepted the manager’s approach.

The Frenchman also addressed the negative reaction from supporters, saying whistles are part of football and that players cannot always influence public opinion when fans are frustrated. He stated that representing Real Madrid comes with pressure and that the only solution is to continue working and improve the situation.

Growing frustration around Real Madrid

Real Madrid’s campaign has ended without a trophy, increasing tensions around the club following several disappointing results, including losses against Barcelona. Earlier in the week, club president Florentino Perez held an emotional press conference in which he criticised people he believed were attempting to damage the club.

Attention on Mbappe increased further after photographs emerged showing him on a yacht in Sardinia while Madrid was facing Espanyol. The player had been granted time away from the squad to continue recovering from injury.

Supporters also directed anger toward the club hierarchy during Thursday’s match, with stewards removing a banner carrying a message against Perez. Even so, there were moments of celebration at the Bernabéu as Gonzalo García opened the scoring before halftime and Jude Bellingham added a late second against the relegated visitors.