NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Real Madrid fans made their displeasure known on Thursday by mocking Kylian Mbappe at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium ahead of a 2-0 victory over already relegated Oviedo.
Kylian Mbappe spoke to the media after coming on as a substitute following an injury layoff and was booed by many in the crowd.
“I think that’s life, we can’t change people’s opinions when they are angry. It’s a way for them to talk, to express themselves, and I think you shouldn’t take it personally,” Mbappé said. This is the life of a Real Madrid player and the life of a famous player like me.”
New spot on the depth chart
Perhaps the most shocking revelation of the evening was not the boos, but Mbappé’s current position in the locker room.
Despite providing the assist on Jude Bellingham’s 79th-minute goal to seal the victory, the superstar finds himself in an unfamiliar position on the depth chart.
“Today I didn’t play because the coach told me that, for him, I was the fourth striker in the group behind Mastantuono, Vini (Vinícius Júnior) and Gonzalo (Garcia). Finally, I accept it and I play the time I have. We played well, I made an assist to Jude and I’m positive.”
Addressing “vacations” and injuries
The frustration in the stands seemed to come from the absence of Mbappé during the Classica match Madrid desperately needed. Addressing the public reaction to his absence, Mbappé was candid about medical reality and public perception.
“It was a very serious leg injury. It was a shame for me not to be able to play in the Clásico. It’s a game I like to play, I always score against Barcelona, so it was a shame not to help the team.
When asked why fans remained vitriol regarding his recent leave of absence, he stood firm:
“I had permission from the club. I didn’t understand what people were saying. But you have to accept it, a footballer can’t always try to understand. I have to look forward, move forward and change the situation. I think I can change the situation.”
Return to a hostile home
Some banners against President Florentino Pérez were briefly held up before being removed by security agents. Pérez greeted some fans, but at one point appeared to have a verbal altercation with some of the team’s supporters near the VIP stands, according to Spanish media.
The match capped a chaotic week for Madrid, which began with an altercation between players in training that led the club to fine Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni 500,000 euros ($589,000) each.
Then there was the defeat to Barcelona in the clásico on Sunday that handed his rival the league title, and on Tuesday Pérez called for new elections after declaring himself the victim of an “organized campaign” to overthrow him.
Express yourself
As Madrid faces a second consecutive season without a major trophy – having been ousted from the Champions League by Bayern Munich and the Copa del Rey by second division club Albacete – the club’s internal politics have become public theater.
While Florentino Pérez spent his week accusing the media of an “organized campaign” against him, Mbappé chose to address his detractors directly.
“There are people who don’t speak, who only speak in the press, and I prefer to speak here, with my own mouth.”
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
