Mourinho Defends Mbappé, Slams Press Over Real Madrid

After the last Vinícius question, Mourinho left the press room, visibly fed up with the media frenzy around Kylian Mbappé – a player he has constantly defended. He insisted the French striker will feature this weekend.

“Merit matters, but you also need openness to dynamics, not just status or name. You can bench under‑performing players, yet it doesn’t always work. I’m talking about Vinícius – I won’t hide it. It hurts to see him want to be the winning Vinícius who brings titles. He’s an extraordinary boy craving his best form, deserving help because he wants to give Real joy again,” he said.

“Fede (Valverde) is uncertain. Militao will miss out. Yet in training he looks ready to play tomorrow. I knew he was good, but he exceeds my expectations. Militao’s injury history is heavy. Rodrygo is still a bit away from full return,” Mourinho noted.

“After the last match I spent two or three days dissecting every detail, avoiding the obvious – we were eleven against nine. I didn’t dwell on that. Then three days abroad watching games in London and Portugal, back to intense work. Little pitch time, a lot of preparation. Some arrive Tuesday, others Wednesday; some play, some don’t; jet‑lag, sleepless nights… It’s complex. Our organisation is efficient. We could suffer an injury in ten minutes, yet the lack of injuries is something we cherish. Many things have changed and we’re coping well. We’re preparing the future as best we can,” he explained.

“Whistles aimed at Mbappé at the Bernabéu? That’s one of your goals. You don’t need to be Einstein to see that. I won’t comment. My wish is for the Bernabéu to be fair, which means being smart… reading between the lines and understanding objectives. I promise that when a Real player misbehaves or fails his duties, he won’t even get a chance to be whistled because he’ll be at home, not on the bench. Mbappé will play. He hasn’t missed any obligations to Real Madrid,” he asserted.

“I won’t answer. I won’t tell you tomorrow’s lineup. We have quality players who can’t all start together. Vinícius, Mbappé and Diomande are fine and we could even add another attacking option, that’s all,” he replied.

“Those who work with me know we’ve had ample time to analyse every detail. In this first part of the season we’ve seen many positives but must improve certain areas without drastic changes. Real Madrid emerged from a tough two‑year spell; it’s unacceptable for a club of this stature not to win. I saw Mikel Arteta say Arsenal’s work is just beginning after three‑four years there. I can’t dwell on the fact we should have finished the Atlético match with eleven, even if it’s true. We’ll try a few adjustments,” he said.

“Your Mbappé example… He was there, got diagnosed, saw an external consultant for his knee, followed a recovery plan you don’t need to know. You journalists chased problems – the nightclub story, then the bike episode, then milder cases like Dean Huijsen. It’s absurd. I knock on wood because it’s just football. It’s the first time in ten years we haven’t had injuries except long‑term ones. It’s a great story, but you don’t like it,” he complained.

“I will always defend a football player. He’s a human, a boy who can make mistakes. You know me, I don’t lie. I can dodge some questions smartly, but I can’t lie. I won’t tell you if he’ll play tomorrow. During this period Real’s players have been professionally exemplary,” he added.

“Exaggerated? Ridiculous,” Mourinho snapped, clearly irritated with the Madrid press.

“Apparently his case matters more than Manchester City’s or the difficult situation in my country with Cristiano Ronaldo. So many topics could fuel your work, yet you always circle back to Real Madrid…”

“Preparation isn’t easy. We stayed here with five players; the rest arrived gradually according to their international duties,” he noted.

The press conference is about to begin.

Scheduled for 10 a.m., José Mourinho will soon face the media in a highly anticipated briefing before Real’s Saturday clash with Villarreal at 21:00. Follow the live commentary.

Criticised in Spain, Kylian Mbappé endured another turbulent international break, his communication repeatedly questioned. Though his coach hasn’t rebuked him, his attitude still irks parts of the club and fans – a familiar pattern.

>>> The big recap of Real Madrid’s internal crisis

Marca journalist Pablo Polo told RMC on Wednesday that tensions swirl around Mbappé inside the Merengues camp.

“Our sources say Mourinho didn’t like how Mbappé handled his recovery, his travel and the fact he arrived Monday after training,” he explained.

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho will speak this Friday at 10 a.m. before the press – possibly the most crucial briefing since his return, according to Spanish observers.

The situation at Real Madrid is dire. The club faces a crisis on every level, far beyond on‑field results. Mbappé’s moves and his Ballon d’Or campaign keep fueling debate, while locker‑room tension spikes, according to Spanish media.

Follow all Real Madrid news in our live RMC Sport commentary.