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Kylian Mbappe was booed on his return from injury as Real Madrid beat Real Oviedo, assisted Jude Bellingham, disputed his role while Alvaro Arbeloa cited fitness and circumstances
Kylian Mbappe on the bench at Real Madrid (AP)
Kylian Mbappe endured a difficult night at the Santiago Bernabeu despite Real Madrid securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo in LaLiga on Thursday. Returning from a hamstring injury, the French superstar was met with loud boos and whistles from sections of the home crowd when he came on as a second-half substitute.
Mbappe had missed Madrid’s recent 2-0 El Clasico defeat to Barcelona, a result that confirmed the Catalan club as LaLiga champions with games to spare. His absence in that crucial clash, combined with criticism of his recent commitment levels, appeared to fuel frustration among supporters.
The striker replaced Gonzalo Garcia in the 69th minute, but instead of receiving applause for his comeback, he was jeered by many inside the Bernabeu. The reaction came amid reports of fan discontent over Mbappe travelling to Sardinia while recovering from injury.
Fourth Choice?
After the match, Kylian Mbappe revealed that coach Alvaro Arbeloa had told him he was currently behind other forwards in the pecking order. “I am very good, at 100 percent, I didn’t play because the coach told me that for him I’m the fourth forward of the squad, behind Mastantuono, Vinicius and Gonzalo,” Mbappe was quoted as saying to reporters after the game.
Despite starting on the bench, Mbappe still made an impact by assisting Jude Bellingham for Madrid’s second goal. Reflecting on the decision, he said: “In the end, I accept it (being on the bench) and I play the time I had to play.”
Addressing criticism over his holiday during recovery, Mbappe defended himself, saying: “Not being in Madrid — I had the authorisation of the club.” He added: “I don’t understand what the people are saying, but I have to accept it.”
Coach Defends His Stand
Arbeloa later denied telling Mbappe he had permanently fallen behind other attackers. “Maybe he didn’t understand me well, I don’t know what to tell you,” the coach explained.
The Madrid manager also stressed caution regarding the forward’s fitness, saying: “I can perfectly understand that Kylian Mbappe isn’t happy today about not playing, but it’s a decision based, as I said, on the circumstances.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
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