Kylian Mbappe has claimed he is Real Madrid’s “fourth-choice forward” after coming off the bench to a chorus of boos during the club’s 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday evening.
Mbappe was returning from a hamstring injury after missing the Clasico defeat on Sunday which ultimately secured the LaLiga title for arch-rivals Barcelona, and came off the bench midway through the second period for homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia, who had started – and scored – alongside Vinicus Junior and Franco Mastantuono.
Mbappe has been the subject of much anger from Real Madrid fans, and become something of a scapegoat with the club enduring a second consecutive season without silverware.
Over 30m people signed a petition calling for Real to get rid of the striker, who came under fire for his decision to go on holiday to Sardinia while recovering from a hamstring injury.
“I’m 100 per cent fine,” Mbappe said after Thursday’s match.
“I didn’t play because the coach [Alvaro Arbeloa] told me I’m the fourth-choice forward in the squad behind [Franco] Mastantuono, Vinícius [Júnior] and Gonzalo. I accept it and play the time I’m given. I think I played well,” he told reporters after the game.
“I was ready to start, it’s his decision and it always has to be respected. I have no problem at all with Arbeloa. You have to accept the coach’s philosophy and I have to do better to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono.”
Mbappe had started all of Real’s previous six games, scoring three times, prior to his injury and has been out of the starting line-up on only four previous occasions when available for Arbeloa in the 26 matches since the head coach took over from Xabi Alonso in mid-January.
Arbeloa was questioned over Mbappe’s comments following the game and said he felt it was not possible for the forward to come straight back into the line-up following his hamstring injury, and denied his claims of being the club’s fourth-choice forward – before revealing he will start Real’s next game against relegation-threatened Sevilla this Sunday.
He said: “I had a conversation with him before the game and I don’t know what he could have interpreted.
“For me it is very clear that a player who four days ago could not be on the bench (against Barcelona), today should not start. Especially because it’s not a final, it’s not a game of life or death.
“I can understand that Mbappe isn’t happy about not playing, but it’s a decision based on the circumstances. It was the most logical and natural thing to do, the most common-sense thing.
“If you want, you can show me Kylian’s mixed zone [comments] and we can discuss it. Until I hear what he said, I’m not going to comment on every single sentence. As long as I’m in this position, I decide who plays and who doesn’t. I don’t care what their names are.”
Mbappe shrugged off the boos he receive from the infamously ruthless Real support.
“It’s life,” he said.
“You can’t change people’s minds when they’re angry. I shouldn’t take it personally. It’s the life of a Real Madrid player, and a famous player like me. They’re not happy. That’s the only way to understand the whistles.”
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