Kylian Mbappé addresses criticism over Italy trip with Real Madrid’s Álvaro Arbeloa tensions looming

Kylian Mbappé has managed to remain Real Madrid’s standout player, serving as the team’s top scorer. Despite this, the Frenchman has been heavily criticized by fans, as his trip to Italy during the competition, while recovering from an injury, did not sit well. In response, the 27-year-old striker has decided to release a strong statement amid rumors of tensions with Álvaro Arbeloa due to a reported problem during a training session.

According to Mario Cortegana and Guillermo Rai, via The Athletic, Kylian Mbappé was involved in an altercation during a Real Madrid training session, where he ended up strongly insulting an assistant coach acting as the referee in the exercise. Following this, people within the club are reportedly unhappy with the lack of action taken by the front office. In addition, the Frenchman’s trip to Italy did not sit well with the squad.

While recovering from a hamstring injury, Mbappé had been granted a few days off to focus consistently on his recovery process. However, he was seen in Italy while his teammates were playing and training in Madrid, which has sparked strong criticism from key figures within the club, according to The Athletic. As a result, the Frenchman’s commitment and behavior are now being widely questioned.

In the face of widespread criticism from fans, Kylian Mbappé has issued a statement through AFP to clarify the situation: “A portion of the criticism is based on an over-interpretation of elements related to a recovery period strictly supervised by the club, and does not reflect the reality of Kylian’s commitment and daily work for the team… I’ve reached a point where you’re going to get criticised whatever you do.”

Coupled with this release, head coach Árbeloa tried to defuse the intense criticism directed at Kylian and his trip to Italy in the middle of the season: “In their free time, each player does what they see fit, and I don’t get involved in that… All planning regarding injured players is supervised and managed by Madrid’s medical staff, who are the ones who decide when they need to go to Valdebebas (the club’s training centre) and when they don’t.”

Report: Kylian Mbappé races to recover for El Clásico vs Barcelona

After suffering a hamstring injury just months before the 2026 World Cup, Kylian Mbappé seemed set to remain sidelined for the rest of the season with Real Madrid. In fact, Pablo Gallego reported via Le Journal Du Real that the Frenchman is quite frustrated with Los Blancos, and he will not push to play against Barcelona. However, a new report contradicts this information, making it clear that the 27-year-old striker has already accelerated his recovery.

According to Manuel de Juan via Diario AS, Kylian Mbappé decided to go to Valdebebas despite the team having a day off, in order to work closely with the physiotherapists and fitness coaches of the staff. He also did the same last week, making his priority clear: To be in full shape for El Clásico against Barcelona, aiming to lead another big win and silence doubts about his lack of commitment.