Mourinho reprimands Mbappe in private as Real Madrid tensions grow

Reports in Spain say Jose Mourinho reprimanded Kylian Mbappe during a private meeting at Real Madrid’s training ground on Tuesday, but told the striker he would defend him publicly when questioned about his recent conduct.

Mourinho’s next public comments are expected to face close scrutiny, with the Real Madrid manager likely to be asked about Mbappe’s current situation. The France captain has been the subject of increasingly severe criticism in Spain since injuring his left knee during France’s Nations League match against Turkey on 25 September.

Those concerns intensified after images emerged of Mbappe spending an evening at a nightclub in Paris with his partner, Esther Exposito. A video of the former Paris Saint-Germain player cycling in the Swiss Alps also provoked anger in Madrid.

Some observers have interpreted the player’s actions as a challenge to Real Madrid. A journalist from Radio Marca claimed Mbappe had asked the club’s management to support his nomination for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, only for the request to be rejected.

“Is it possible that this has caused some tension behind the scenes?” the journalist asked.

RMC Sport reported that concern remained genuine in the Spanish capital, where a series of theories and rumours had fuelled the debate. The latest claims were discussed on El Chiringuito on Tuesday night, with the programme saying Mourinho had addressed the matter directly with Mbappe at Valdebebas.

According to the report, the manager held a private conversation with the forward over breakfast and strongly reprimanded him.

“You are a [expletive],” Mourinho reportedly told Mbappe, before adding: “Outside, I will defend you when I am asked, but here, no, I will not defend you.”

Mbappe resumed individual training on Monday and had hoped to feature against Villarreal in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. However, El Chiringuito reported that he could begin the match on the bench, alongside Vinicius Junior.

That possibility may have increased after Mbappe did not train with his team-mates on Tuesday. Following his exchange with Mourinho, reports said the striker took a private jet to Paris late in the morning to spend the day there, with permission from Real Madrid.

He was reportedly back in Madrid shortly after 21:00.

The reports come as criticism of Mbappe continues to grow in Spain following his knee injury and the public appearances that have prompted questions about his commitment to Real Madrid.