News Focus
- Kylian Mbappé returns to the pitch after three weeks out with a hamstring injury
- The French striker enters as a substitute in the 68th minute against Real Oviedo
- Santiago Bernabéu crowd greets him with loud whistles and jeers
- Post-match dispute arises between Mbappé and manager Álvaro Arbeloa regarding his role in the squad
Kylian Mbappé received a cold welcome from the home crowd during Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo on Thursday night. The French forward came on as a substitute with 22 minutes remaining, but the Bernabéu responded with deafening whistles.
The 27-year-old had been absent for Los Blancos’ previous two matches due to a hamstring problem. He suffered the injury in late April during the clash with Real Betis. Supporters were already frustrated with the player after he returned from a holiday in Italy just moments before kick-off against Espanyol earlier this month.
Many fans expected Mbappé to feature in last weekend’s El Clásico against Barcelona. He trained the day before the match, but he was not included in the squad. This added to the tension surrounding his return.
When Mbappé finally appeared on the pitch against Oviedo, he looked surprised by the negative reaction. He smiled as the boos echoed around the stadium.
The situation became more complicated after the final whistle. Mbappé told the media that he was fully fit to start the game. He claimed that manager Álvaro Arbeloa informed him he was the ‘fourth forward’ in the selection order. Arbeloa strongly denied this statement. “I decide who plays and who does not. I am the coach,” he said in his press conference.
Other players also faced mixed reactions from the crowd. Aurélien Tchouaméni heard both applause and whistles in his first appearance since receiving a €500,000 fine for fighting with teammate Federico Valverde. Meanwhile, Vinícius Júnior was whistled by sections of the crowd every time he had the ball at his feet.