MADRID — José Mourinho has never been shy of a confrontation, and on Friday he turned his fire on the critics of Kylian Mbappé. Speaking on the eve of Real Madrid's LaLiga home match against Villarreal, the Portuguese coach labelled the attacks on his star striker "ridiculous" and confirmed the France captain will start on Saturday.

Mbappé, 27, has come under heavy fire in Spain for how he spent the international break recovering from a left-knee injury — an ailment he picked up playing for France against Turkey in a Nations League match on September 25. Rather than recuperating in Madrid, the forward travelled to France and Switzerland, where he was photographed entering a Parisian nightclub and filmed himself riding a bicycle — posts that circulated widely on social media.

The images struck a nerve because, just days earlier, Mourinho himself had warned that footballers should avoid activities such as skiing or riding bicycles so as not to risk injury. Some supporters read Mbappé's posts as a deliberate snub of the coach.

"He was not doing the Tour of Switzerland"

Mourinho dismantled each accusation one by one. Asked whether the criticism was exaggerated, he was blunt: "It's ridiculous," per ESPN.

He insisted Mbappé had followed the club's medical protocol to the letter: the forward reported to Valdebebas with the other injured players, underwent scans to diagnose the problem, and then travelled to France to consult a specialist — a step the club deemed necessary given his history with the knee. "Mbappé came, like the others, to undergo scans in order to be diagnosed," Mourinho said, according to SuperSport. "He then went to see a specialist in France, because he has history with his knee which we cannot ignore."

The nightclub, Mourinho explained, was not a nightclub at all: it was a private event hosted during Paris Fashion Week. And the bicycle? "It was in a hotel, made up of small houses, which makes them available so guests can ride to the communal areas, and you would have us believe he was competing in the Tour of Switzerland," he joked.

Table of contents

  1. "Real Madrid is Real Madrid"
  2. The reported private reprimand
  3. A decisive month for Madrid
  4. Mbappé's standing: goals but no trophies yet
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. Sources
  7. Related reading

"Real Madrid is Real Madrid"

Mourinho used the press conference to air a broader grievance with the media, arguing that real football stories were being drowned out. "I thought there were enough real 'cases' in the football world in the last few weeks, but it seems like they weren't enough," he said, citing the Manchester City financial case and Barcelona's Negreira affair as the kinds of stories that deserved attention.

"Real Madrid is Real Madrid," he added. "I thought the first question might be about real things, a difficult game... But here we are."

He said he had no concerns about how the Bernabéu would receive Mbappé on Saturday, stressing that he was "certain" the striker had fulfilled his obligations to the club.

The reported private reprimand

The public show of support came two days after Spanish television programme El Chiringuito reported that Mourinho had privately given Mbappé a stern talking-to over breakfast at Valdebebas on Wednesday — telling him, in effect, that he would defend him publicly but not in private, and questioning why he had posted the cycling video. The programme also claimed both Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior could be benched.

Friday's news conference undercut at least part of that report: Mourinho confirmed Mbappé will start against Villarreal, backing the Frenchman with a selection decision as well as words.

A decisive month for Madrid

The defence of his striker arrives at a delicate moment in the title race. Madrid sit six points behind leaders Barcelona in LaLiga, and October's fixture list is brutal — culminating in El Clásico at Camp Nou on October 25. Dropping points at home to Villarreal would deepen the sense of a club already playing catch-up.

Mbappé's fitness is therefore not a side story but the central one: Madrid's season depends on the form of the man who has carried their attack for two campaigns.

Mbappé's standing: goals but no trophies yet

On pure output, the criticism looks harsh. Mbappé has delivered goals in his two seasons at the Bernabéu and is among the leading candidates for this year's Ballon d'Or after his performances for France at the summer's World Cup, as ESPN notes. Yet the one thing missing from his Madrid résumé is a major trophy — and in the white shirt, silverware is the only currency that truly counts.

It is not the first time his off-pitch behaviour has drawn scrutiny: late last season he was pictured on a yacht while recovering from injury as his teammates fought for the title. Friday's episode fits a pattern of friction between a global superstar's lifestyle and a club that demands total focus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Kylian Mbappé being criticised?

Mbappé was criticised for travelling to Paris and Switzerland during the international break while recovering from a left-knee injury — photographed entering a Parisian nightclub and filming himself riding a bicycle — shortly after Mourinho warned players against risky activities like cycling.

How did Mourinho respond?

Mourinho called the criticism "ridiculous," saying Mbappé followed the club's medical protocol, consulted a knee specialist in France, and that the nightclub was actually a private Fashion Week event while the bicycle belonged to the hotel he was staying at.

Will Mbappé play against Villarreal?

Yes — Mourinho confirmed at Friday's press conference that Mbappé will start Saturday's LaLiga home match against Villarreal.

How far behind Barcelona are Real Madrid?

Madrid trail leaders Barcelona by six points in LaLiga, with El Clásico at Camp Nou scheduled for October 25.

What did El Chiringuito report about Mourinho and Mbappé?

The Spanish TV programme claimed Mourinho privately reprimanded Mbappé over the cycling video at breakfast on Wednesday, telling him he would defend him publicly but not in private. The claim remains unverified.

Sources

Related reading