On the Bernabeu pitch, Mbappe was brought on by coach Alvaro Arbeloa in the 69th minute, replacing Gonzalo Garcia. The other two starting forwards were Vinicius and Franco Mastantuono. "I did not start because the coach told me I was only the fourth choice in the squad," Mbappe stated.
However, after journalists relayed Mbappe's comments, coach Arbeloa responded, clarifying that the French captain had misunderstood. Arbeloa explained that Mbappe's benching was due to his absence from the 0-2 El Clasico loss to Barca on 10/5.
"I never told Mbappe he was only the fourth choice," Arbeloa added. "If a player is not fit enough to play on Sunday, they cannot start four days later. As long as I hold this position, I will only field the appropriate player, regardless of their name."
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Mbappe played in Real's victory over Oviedo in La Liga's 36th round at the Bernabeu stadium, Madrid, Spain on 14/5/2026. *Photo: AP* |
Mbappe leads Real's scoring chart for the 2025-2026 season with 41 goals, 20 more than Vinicius, who is in second place. Despite his performance, the relationship between Mbappe and the fans is strained. Many fans attribute Real's failures across all competitions to Mbappe disrupting the team's playing structure. There is also resentment over the French striker vacationing in Italy with his girlfriend while injured, particularly as his teammates were battling Barca for the La Liga title.
As Mbappe prepared to enter the pitch on 14/5, fans whistled and booed. Mundo Deportivo reported this as one of the most significant criticisms directed at a Real player at the Bernabeu. Mbappe responded with a slight smile. However, the dissent persisted, with fans continuing to boo every time the "number 10" touched the ball.
Fayza Lamari, Mbappe's mother and agent, was also present at the Bernabeu. She reacted to the crowd's negative response towards her son with a calm smile.
Ten minutes after his introduction, Mbappe exchanged passes with Jude Bellingham. However, when Mbappe signaled for a return pass, the English midfielder bypassed him, driving into the box to score the decisive goal, securing the 2-0 victory. While the exchange resulted in an assist for Mbappe, it highlighted the ongoing lack of understanding among the attacking players.
Earlier, Garcia had opened the scoring with a diagonal shot in the 43rd minute. The victory in round 36 solidified Real's second-place position in La Liga with 80 points. This achievement was ultimately symbolic, as Barca had already secured the title with 91 points. Even with wins against Sevilla and Bilbao in their final two matches, Real could not have overtaken them.
Mbappe's future remains uncertain. Pedrag Mijatovic, a former player and Real's Sporting Director, advised President Florentino Perez to sell the French striker during the summer transfer window. Conversely, in a recent interview, Perez asserted that Mbappe is currently Real's best player.
By Thanh Quy (via MD, Marca)
