Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has called criticism of Kylian Mbappé "ridiculous" and confirmed the forward will start Saturday's La Liga game against Villarreal at the Bernabéu. Mbappé picked up an injury in his first game on duty with France on Sept. 25 and then drew criticism for trips to Paris and Switzerland during his recovery, including posting video of himself riding a bike on social media.
Mourinho defended the striker's conduct, saying the Paris visit was to a club transformed for a private event and that the Swiss stay was simply a hotel with bikes to reach restaurants and a spa. He said Mbappé had been properly diagnosed at Valdebebas, consulted an external specialist because of his knee history, and that there was total agreement with Real Madrid's medical plan.
The coach also suggested a coordinated campaign, involving elements in the media, was aimed at having fans whistle Mbappé at the stadium. "I thought there were enough real 'cases' in the football world," Mourinho said, pointing to matters such as the Manchester City case and the Negreira affair. He warned that any player who fails to behave like a Real Madrid player would not be seen on the bench.
Madrid sit six points behind leaders Barcelona and face a demanding October schedule, culminating in El Clásico at Camp Nou on Oct. 25. Mourinho also admitted Vinícius Júnior has not reached his best form this season and said he was "hurt" by fan criticism of the Brazilian.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing