A Spanish press report stated today, Tuesday, that French star Kylian Mbappé, a Real Madrid player, verbally insulted the referee of his team’s match against Elche last Sunday, as part of the thirteenth round of the Spanish League competitions, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
With this draw, Real Madrid’s score rose to 32 points, occupying the top of the Spanish League standings, just one point ahead of second-place Barcelona, while Elche’s score reached 16 points, occupying thirteenth place in the standings.
The cameras spotted Mbappé’s reaction to the referee after the match ended, and as a result, he received a yellow card for his objection.
However, according to the Spanish network “DAZN”, Mbappé was not satisfied with objecting to the referee, but also verbally insulted him.
The report explained that Mbappé completely lost his temper after losing two new points, and tried to get an explanation from the referee about the issue of wasting time, but it ended with him insulting him.
The report indicated the appearance of a video clip showing Mbappé repeating the phrase: “You are a stupid bastard, get out,” in French, which explains the referee’s decision not to expel him.
Mbappé may face a penalty from the Disciplinary Committee if it decides to open an investigation into this incident.
A collective decline, not just Mbappé
Xabi Alonso, the Real Madrid coach, confirmed that the decline in Kylian Mbappé’s scoring rate in recent matches is due to collective reasons within the team.
When questions were raised about Mbappé and his failure to shoot on goal in the last two matches, Alonso affirmed: “This is a collective issue. We have analyzed it. It is completely collective. We also need to work on set pieces.. The goals will definitely come back, I have no doubt.”
Alonso’s statements came during the press conference preceding the match against Elche, according to the Spanish newspaper “AS”, where he faced a question about Mbappé and his failure to shoot on goal in the last two matches, so Alonso confirmed: “This is a collective issue. We have analyzed it. It is completely collective. We also need to work on set pieces.. The goals will definitely come back, I have no doubt.”
Alonso: Real Madrid has not collapsed
In statements quoted by the newspaper “AS” after the Elche match, Alonso said: “After a good series of results, there was a period when we did not get what we wanted. We know what we are seeking and we must move forward without hesitation. We are not satisfied, as this is a club that only tolerates victory, but the road is still long.”
The coach did not hesitate to respond to the criticisms that speak of the team’s downfall, commenting: “The team has not collapsed. We are continuing to compete, and we realize that each match is played in a different context.”
He stressed: “Yes, results rule, but the spirit shown by the players is positive. At Real Madrid, we coexist with pressure and criticism, and we know how to respond to it.”
Regarding the relationship within the team between the players and the coaching staff, Alonso seemed confident of harmony, saying: “Communication is improving day by day. We have spent more time together, and our knowledge of each other has increased. We go through everything as one unit, we celebrate victories and suffer when we stumble. We must now turn this feeling into a strong push before facing Olympiacos of Greece in the Champions League.”
The coach also defended his tactical decision to push Fran Garcia into an unfamiliar position, explaining: “This position is not new to him. We wanted more width on the flanks and try to change the way we play. The unfortunate thing is that immediately after the draw we conceded a goal that turned the rhythm around, even though the moment was in our favor to come back in the result.”
In the context of talking about Vinicius Junior, who again sat on the bench, Alonso confirmed that there were no concerns about his commitment or discipline.
Alonso said: “I am not worried. I have spoken to Vinicius a lot and he knows his role well. We have already applied this approach in other matches. All the players have the desire and energy to restore the positive rhythm.”
As for the most important thing that worried him during the match, Alonso revealed: “After the 1-1 draw, we lacked the continuity required to complete the pressure. In the first half, the team was preparing for the offensive build-up well. The players did not give up, but we lacked the momentum at the crucial moment.”
Anticipation and Controversy
Real Madrid is witnessing a state of anticipation and controversy regarding the future of its current coach, Xabi Alonso, who took over last summer with a three-year contract, amid widespread praise for his ability to renew working methods after the golden era led by Carlo Ancelotti.
But his start was not ideal, as he received a strong shock in his first real test after losing to Paris Saint-Germain 0-4 in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, in a confrontation that was a shock to the fans and observers of the team.
Despite Real Madrid achieving good results in the Spanish League and the Champions League, the team’s overall performance was not convincing, which increased rumors about the coach’s future.
Expectations before El Clasico indicated that any loss to Barcelona could represent a “point of no return” for Alonso.
The team’s victory in El Clasico restored some of the coach’s confidence, but this balance quickly diminished after stumbling against Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano, which again raised doubts about his ability to lead the team in difficult times, according to the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”.
