Real Madrid’s Mourinho lashes out at ‘ridiculous’ criticism of Mbappe

What the report says

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has defended Kylian Mbappe after the striker faced online criticism over where he is recovering from a left knee injury. According to Al Jazeera, Mbappe has been resting and undergoing treatment in France and Switzerland after hyperextending his knee in a Nations League match against Turkiye on September 25. The article says some fans questioned his choices after he was seen at a Paris nightclub entrance and photographed cycling in Switzerland, despite the club saying he had attended scans and consulted a specialist because of his injury history.

Mourinho dismissed the backlash as excessive during a news conference on Friday before Real Madrid’s La Liga home match against Villarreal. He said Mbappe had met his recovery obligations and rejected suggestions that the player had avoided proper treatment. The coach also offered explanations for the images circulating on social media, saying the nightclub visit was tied to a private Fashion Week event and that the bicycle scene took place at a hotel setting rather than a sporting outing.

Mbappe returned to training on Wednesday and could be available as soon as Saturday, the report said. The episode comes amid a difficult spell for Real Madrid, who lost their previous match to Atletico Madrid and trail Barcelona by six points. Al Jazeera also noted that Mbappe has previously drawn criticism from some supporters this season over other off-field choices, showing how closely his recovery and public appearances are being watched.