Did you catch Mourinho’s fiery defence of Mbappé on Friday? The Real Madrid boss blasted the wave of criticism aimed at the French forward during the international break.
After injuring himself in France’s opening friendly, Mbappé rushed back to Madrid for treatment. He’s already training with the squad and could line up Saturday against Villarreal in the eighth round of La Liga. The night‑out in Paris during Fashion Week sparked outrage, yet Mourinho stood firmly behind the ‘Kyks’.
The coach told reporters, “Apparently his case matters more than Manchester City’s or the drama surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo in my country.” He added, “There are countless topics you could cover, but you always end up talking about Real Madrid.”
» All the latest on Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid
Mourinho labels the criticism of Mbappé as absurd.
Back on the Merengues’ bench this season, the ‘Special One’ still searches for the formula to reclaim the league summit. Though Madrid sit fourth, six points behind Barça, Mbappé has already netted eight times in as many games across all competitions. For my money, his scoring streak proves he’s the missing piece.
When pressed about the backlash, Mourinho dismissed it as “ridiculous.”
He went on, “We’re players 24/7. Any major or negative act off the pitch has repercussions. Still, I’ll always defend a footballer. He’s a human, a boy who can err but must show responsibility. You know me, I’m not lying.”
“Je peux essayer d’esquiver une question délicate avec habileté, mais je ne mens jamais.”
He sweeps away the night‑out and bike controversies surrounding the striker.
After outlining the rehab protocol for internationals, Mourinho turned his focus sharply to the French captain’s situation.
“Take Mbappé as an example: he arrived, received a diagnosis and consulted an external specialist because his knee history can’t be ignored. The findings matched perfectly. A recovery programme was set up, no need to reveal the details.”
And the Portuguese manager teased the media: “Then there’s the hunt for problems where none exist. First, the night‑out story – it was a private venue for Paris Fashion Week, not a club. Next, the Swiss bike episode – merely bicycles to reach communal areas of a quiet hotel, not a Tour de Suisse stage.”
‘Mbappé will play’ against Villarreal, Mourinho confirms.
Despite the national team injury, Mbappé is match‑fit and likely to feature against Villarreal on Saturday. Mourinho even dropped a hint about the Frenchman’s starting role, defending him against any Bernabéu jeers.
‘Will he be whistled at? That’s your aim,’ Mourinho said. ‘You don’t need to be Einstein to see that.’ He added, ‘I won’t comment, but I hope the stadium acts fairly and intelligently, reading between the lines.’
‘I promise the Bernabéu that if a Real player fails to meet his duties, he won’t even sit on the bench,’ Mourinho declared. ‘Mbappé will play; he hasn’t shirked his responsibilities.’