Kylian Mbappe, the star forward for Real Madrid, received a warm welcome from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd upon his return from injury. Having missed the last two matches due to a hamstring issue, concerns have arisen regarding his readiness for El Clasico.
Mbappe sustained his hamstring injury in late April against Real Betis. He was unable to participate in the following week’s match against Espanyol. His abrupt return to Madrid from a vacation in Italy just before kickoff sparked outrage among fans. Although many expected him to be fit for the El Clasico against Barcelona, he ultimately missed that match despite having trained the day prior.
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Mbappe greeted with loud boos from Santiago Bernabeu
In the match against Real Oviedo on Thursday night, Mbappe was found fit enough to sit on the bench and came on with 22 minutes remaining. Upon his entry, the 27-year-old was met with a chorus of boos, which drew a bemused smile from him.
Vinicius Junior also booed by Real Madrid supporters
This match marked the first opportunity for Real Madrid fans to express their sentiments towards Aurelien Tchouameni following his altercation with Fede Valverde, for which he was fined €500,000 last week. Tchouameni received a mixed response of applause and boos, while Vinicius Junior faced consistent booing whenever he touched the ball.
Mbappe and Arbeloa at odds after the match
The main story to emerge from Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo revolved around a post-match exchange. Mbappe claimed he was ready to start, but said manager Alvaro Arbeloa had informed him he was the ‘fourth forward.’ Arbeloa countered that it was his responsibility to decide player positions and denied making such a comment to Mbappe.