Kylian Mbappé has sparked a fresh wave of criticism in Spain. The Real Madrid star surfaced at a late-night party in Paris alongside his girlfriend, the actress Ester Expósito, while recovering from injury, reigniting the debate over his professionalism and his conduct off the pitch.
His trip to Paris on Wednesday evening drew the ire of the Spanish media, particularly after he left the France camp following an injury to his left knee against Turkey, a match in which he scored. Real Madrid confirmed he was suffering from a hyperextension in the back of the knee.
Spanish press reports stressed that Mbappé's injury required nothing more than complete rest, and the royal club allowed him to skip the training centre in Valdebebas. Yet his appearance at a Paris nightclub reopened the door to criticism, not least because this was not the first time he had spent his break away from Madrid during a recovery period, according to French website "Foot Mercato".
David Sánchez, the "Marca" radio journalist, laid into the French star. He insisted that, despite possessing exceptional abilities, Mbappé keeps repeating mistakes that anger Real Madrid fans.
According to Sánchez, Mbappé could have returned to Madrid and shown his face at the club's training centre, giving fans a positive impression of his commitment to the recovery programme. Instead, he turned up in Paris once again, and repeating such behaviour damages his image.
Juanma Castaño took the same line on "Cope" radio. He criticised the player's conduct, pointing out that a quick return to Madrid would have sent a very different message to supporters, especially given the controversy surrounding his injury.
The criticism extends a previous row. Mbappé travelled to Sardinia with his girlfriend during his absence from the pitch last season, a trip that raised questions in the Spanish press about his commitment at the time.
Despite the mounting criticism, reports from the "El Chiringuito" programme suggest Mbappé is a candidate to start for Real Madrid against Villarreal. The controversy over his behaviour rumbles on, along with the question of how far his movements off the pitch affect his relationship with the fans.