Representatives for Kylian Mbappé have defended the Real Madrid striker following backlash over his holiday with girlfriend Ester Exposito while recovering from injury. The 27-year-old sustained a hamstring issue against Real Betis on April 24 and missed the team's 2-0 win at Espanyol. Mbappé is fighting to be fit for Sunday's El Clásico against Barcelona at Camp Nou.
Mbappé drew criticism for relaxing on a yacht off Sardinia's coast over the weekend, rather than joining his teammates for the Espanyol match that kept Real Madrid's slim La Liga title hopes alive. Critics argued the influential forward should have stayed with the squad despite his injury. Barcelona can clinch the title with a draw in the upcoming clash in Catalonia, as Madrid seeks a win to salvage pride from a tough season. Mbappé has scored 41 goals in 41 games across competitions this year, yet the club appears headed for a trophyless campaign under coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who succeeded Xabi Alonso in January amid dressing-room unrest reports. Arbeloa addressed the matter post-Espanyol, stating, “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.” Mbappé's representatives issued a statement emphasizing, “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.” Arbeloa added uncertainty about Mbappé's availability: “We’ll see how Mbappé is this week. After last week’s tests, it looked as though it might take a bit longer.” Recent reports note internal tensions, including arguments involving Antonio Rüdiger and Mbappé clashing with coaching staff.
