Kylian Mbappé was on the bench for Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday night, but he was less than welcome when he took to the pitch.
Kylian Mbappe says he is now Real Madrid’s fourth choice striker (Image: DAZN)
Kylian Mbappe sensationally claimed that Alvaro Arbeloa told the striker he was now his fourth choice after being jeered by Real Madrid fans at the Bernabéu on Thursday night.
The French star was on the bench for Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Real Oviedo. Mbappe was introduced in the 69th minute, replacing Gonzalo Garcia. Garcia scored in Real’s first home game since arch-rivals Barcelona clinched the La Liga title with victory in El Clasico.
Mbappe, who missed Sunday’s loss to Barça, faced a loud whistle from the home fans as he took to the pitch.
And after insisting he was fit after missing last weekend, the 27-year-old bombshelled that Real Madrid’s interim head coach feels he has fallen way down the pecking order.
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“I’m fine, 100 percent,” Mbappe told stunned reporters. “I didn’t play because the coach (Arbeloa) told me that I was the fourth forward in the team after (Franco) Mastantuono, Vinicius (Junior) and Gonzalo. I accepted that and played the minutes I was given. I think I played well.”
“I was ready to start. I’m not mad at the coach. You always have to respect the coach’s decisions. I want to do my best to get back to the starting lineup.”
Mbappe’s bombshell comments are the latest headache for Arbeloa, who took over following the departure of Xabi Alonso in January. Real Madrid have endured a tough season, with Federico Valverde and Aurélien Choameny recently making headlines after they were involved in a physical confrontation.
But Arbeloa denied Mbappé’s claims, insisting he did not inform the Frenchman “at any point” that he was fourth choice.
Mbappé was loudly whistled at when he was brought off the bench during Los Blancos’ 2-0 win over Real Oviedo (Image: Ángel Martínez)
“I wish we had four forwards,” Arbeloa said in response to Mbappé’s comments. “I don’t have four forwards and of course I didn’t say that to Mbappe. Maybe he didn’t understand me. I don’t know what else to say. I couldn’t tell him at any point that he was the fourth forward.”
“I’m the coach and I decide who plays and who doesn’t play. I had a conversation with him before the game and I don’t know how he interpreted it. A player who was off the bench four days ago shouldn’t start today. This is not a final, it’s not a do-or-die situation. That’s it. I don’t have any problems with anyone.”
Mbappe was jeered by disgruntled fans after he was pictured on holiday recovering from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss El Clasico. The striker insisted that the break was “permitted by the club” and that he was only “forced to accept” the fans’ reaction.
“That’s life,” Mbappe said of the whistle. “You cannot change the mind of an angry person. You should not take it personally. This is the life of a Real Madrid player and a famous player like me. They are not happy. That is the only way to understand the whistle.”
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