Following Real Madrid’s victory over Real Oviedo at the Santiago Bernabéu, Kylian Mbappé fueled media discussions by publicly questioning manager Álvaro Arbeloa. Mbappé claimed he was informed by his coach that he was considered the ‘fourth forward in the squad’.
Arbeloa vehemently denied making such a statement. Mbappé, who returned for the final 22 minutes against Oviedo after an injury layoff, was met with whistles from the crowd. Surprisingly, he appeared in the mix zone to address reporters, bypassing standard Real Madrid protocol in La Liga, and spoke for seven minutes.
Mbappé Questions Arbeloa’s Management
Beyond the ‘fourth forward’ assertion, Mbappé also raised questions about Arbeloa’s coaching, despite stating he had no personal issues with him.
“We started the season well, in La Liga, in the Champions League… but we lost it in the second half. And it hurts a lot, because I feel we had a structured playing style and we let it slip away.”
Mbappé’s Motivations for Criticizing Arbeloa
According to Diario AS, three key issues prompted Mbappé to publicly express his dissatisfaction.
Firstly, upon returning from injury, Mbappé discovered he would be on the bench for El Clásico. This news led him to inform the medical staff of increased leg pain, as he was eager to play a significant role against Barcelona.
Secondly, Arbeloa’s comments at a press conference following their win over Espanyol, which Mbappé missed due to injury, were perceived as a direct criticism of his attitude. Arbeloa remarked that ‘Real Madrid was built with players covered in mud and sweat, without ego, not players in smoking jackets’, a statement Mbappé took as a veiled jab.
The third point of contention for Mbappé was Arbeloa’s decision to bring him on against Oviedo late in the game, facing a likely negative reception, instead of five minutes earlier alongside Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal. The 27-year-old interpreted this as a deliberate attempt to expose him to the Bernabéu’s critical reaction.
