Kylian Mbappe has fiercely defended his conduct amid reports of ‘growing tension’ between the French striker and Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s attitude has been the subject of criticism in recent weeks, with the 27-year-old reportedly involved in a heated argument with a member of manager Alvaro Arbeloa’s staff during a training session.
According to The Athletic, Mbappe spoke angrily and in insulting terms towards the assistant, who was acting as a referee during a training match.
The incident is understood to have contributed to a worsening of the mood between Mbappe and Madrid.
The injured star was also criticised for taking a holiday on a luxury yacht with his new girlfriend, while his team-mates prepare to face Barcelona this weekend in El Clasico – in which they could mathematically lose the LaLiga title race for a second season running.
More than 250,000 angry Madrid fans have signed a petition calling for Mbappe to leave the club in what has been a miserable two-season spell since he joined for free from Paris Saint-Germain. In that time, Mbappe and Madrid have failed to win a major trophy.
But Mbappe has hit back at his critics in emphatic fashion. A spokesperson told AFP: ‘Part of the criticisms are based on an overinterpretation of elements related to a recovery period strictly supervised by the club’.
‘This is NOT corresponding to the reality of the commitment and the work that Kylian does daily for the good of the team’.
Following the emergence of pictures of his Sardinia holiday with Spanish actress Ester Exposito, fans flooded X with graphics labeled ‘fuera’ or ‘Mbappe out’, with even his team-mates thought to feel that his decision to go on holiday at this point in the season had distanced him from the dressing room, according to AS.
In Spain, there is believed to be ‘incomprehension’ over Mbappe’s Italian jaunt, despite his return to training on Monday.
Kylian Mbappe and his girlfriend Ester Exposito flew to Sardinia as Real Madrid played Espanyol this weekend
The France national team captain opted to spend his time on the sidelines with the actress
And a petition has been launched online calling for ‘Mbappe out’, reading: ‘Madridistas, make your voice heard. If you believe change is needed, don’t stay silent — sign this petition and stand for what you think is best for the club’s future.’
The petition had 253,000 signatures by midday on Tuesday.
Real’s manager Alvaro Arbeloa was quick to defend his player, saying after the weekend’s 2-0 victory that Mbappe had followed protocol.
‘All planning regarding injured players is always overseen by Real Madrid’s medical staff, who determine when they need to go to Valdebebas and when they don’t,’ he said. ‘In his free time, Mbappe can do whatever he sees fit, like any other player.’
But according to L’Equipe, whether it was sanctioned or unsanctioned did not remove the sting of irritation felt by Mbappe’s team-mates, with figures inside the Bernabeu said to be frustrated by his lack of discretion amid a troubling time in the campaign.
According to the French publication, Mbappe is already perceived to be receiving preferential treatment in the Spanish capital since his 2024 move from Paris Saint-Germain.
His choice to almost exclusively fraternise with his fellow Frenchmen in the team, and incidents such as delaying a team meal by turning up late are also thought to have marked him as ‘overly individualistic’.
Last month, Daily Mail Sport reported that Mbappe had been accused by one former French national team star, Emmanuel Petit, as having ‘filled Real Madrid’s dressing room with selfishness’.
Mbappe’s impromptu holiday comes as Real Madrid face losing LaLiga to rivals Barcelona
The 27-year-old and his girlfriend are believed to have been dating since the beginning of 2026
Further discord may have been sown two weeks ago, when Mbappe liked and unliked a graphic linking Jose Mourinho to the permanent managerial role available at his club this summer.
When questioned about the social media move from his star player, interim manager Arbeloa said: ‘I’m indifferent to whether Mbappe likes Mourinho, Julia Roberts, or anyone else.’
Mbappe and Exposito are believed to have been dating since early this year, with the pair spotted in the former’s old home city of Paris during Fashion Week in the French capital in March.
