Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has slammed criticism of star striker Kylian Mbappe, calling the attacks “ridiculous”. The French captain has come under fire for spending his time recovering from a left knee injury in France and Switzerland rather than Madrid. He suffered a hyperextension of the joint while playing in a Nations League match against Turkiye on September 25.
The 27-year-old was also pictured at the entrance of a Parisian nightclub and photographed on a bicycle when he was in Switzerland. Some fans claimed it was a deliberate snubbing of Mourinho, who only days before had said players should avoid skiing or riding bicycles to avoid injury. They are ridiculous,” Mourinho said at a news conference on Friday on the eve of Real’s La Liga home match with Villarreal.
Mourinho shrugged off the potential of a hostile reception for Mbappe against Villarreal, reiterating that he was “certain” the all-time World Cup record goal scorer has fulfilled “his obligations to Real Madrid”. It is not the first time this season that Mbappe has been subjected to attacks by fans. The Ultras Sur, a Real Madrid supporters group linked to the far right and banned from the Santiago Bernabeu, took issue with him last month.
They were furious that before a Real Madrid match, Mbappe, alongside Vinicius Jr and fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konate, partially rolled up T-shirts bearing the words “We are all Ceutans“, which was intended to be a message of support for people in the Spanish territory bordering Morocco. Ceuta, a Spanish North African exclave, has been grappling with a migration crisis. Mbappe was also criticised earlier this season over his choice of a location for recovery from a previous injury, which led to an online “Mbappe Out” campaign by some Real fans.
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