Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has come to the defence of Kylian Mbappe, rejecting as absurd the wave of criticism directed at the French forward over how he spent time during the recent international break.
Mbappe, who captains the France national team, withdrew from international duty after sustaining an injury in the match against Turkey on 25 September. In the days that followed, the striker was pictured attending a Paris Fashion Week event and later riding a bicycle while abroad — activities that drew scrutiny given Mourinho's known stance against players cycling, which he has previously flagged as a risk he does not permit.
Speaking to reporters, Mourinho made clear he saw no wrongdoing on Mbappe's part and suggested the scrutiny stemmed from a broader tendency to manufacture controversy around high-profile players.
"When it comes to Real Madrid, it's always different," Mourinho said. "But all the players did exactly what they were supposed to during the break. And then you always want to look for more problems and issues."
The Portuguese coach went further, issuing a pointed warning about how he would handle any genuine breach of conduct by one of his squad members, while stressing that this was not the case with Mbappe.
"What I can promise is when a Real Madrid player doesn't behave the way a Real Madrid player is supposed to and when he fails at that and he stops being a Real Madrid player for 24 hours, you will not see that player on the bench because he will be at home," he said.
Addressing the bicycle photo specifically, Mourinho explained that the image had been taken out of context. According to the manager, the bikes seen in the pictures belonged to a hotel complex in Switzerland, where they were made available to guests for short trips around the property — not evidence of Mbappe disregarding instructions from the club.
When pressed on whether the media coverage of the episode had been overblown, Mourinho did not mince words. "Exaggerated, no — I think it was ridiculous," he said, making clear his frustration with how the story had been framed.
The Real Madrid boss also confirmed that Mbappe's inclusion in the squad for the club's next fixture was a reflection of his compliance with the team's expectations, rather than any leniency. "If Mbappe plays tomorrow, it's because he hasn't failed Real Madrid and he hasn't failed to fulfil his obligations to the club," Mourinho added.
The timing of the controversy comes at a sensitive juncture for Real Madrid, who sit six points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona after seven matchdays this season. The club will be eager to build momentum, and keeping their star forward focused and available will be central to that effort.
Mbappe, 27, remains among the frontrunners for this year's Ballon d'Or following a prolific individual campaign last season, in which he netted 42 goals across 44 appearances for Real Madrid — though the club ended the campaign without silverware. On the international stage, he claimed the Golden Boot at the World Cup with 10 goals, pushing his career World Cup tally to a record 22 goals, even as France were eliminated in fourth place.
With the criticism now addressed head-on by his manager, attention turns back to whether Mbappe can help spark a title challenge for Real Madrid as the season progresses.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.