Vacation or rehabilitation? The controversy that ignites Madrid
Kylian Mbappé does not remain silent. The Real Madrid forward responded this Tuesday to a wave of criticism that pointed him out for traveling to Italy with actress Ester Expósito while he was out due to discomfort in his left hamstring. The problem? That break fell just before the classic against Barcelona, where the eternal rival could be crowned La Liga champion with only a draw.
“Part of the criticism is based on an overinterpretation of elements related to a recovery period strictly supervised by the club, without reflecting the reality of Kylian’s commitment and the work he does every day for the team,” said a statement from his representatives to The Associated Press.
The weight of expectations
The merengue fans are on fire. On social media, many question why the league’s top scorer took a “vacation” before the most important game of the year. But be careful, not everything is what it seems. According to close sources, Mbappé went to the training center on his day off to continue his rehabilitation. Does that sound like an excuse to you? Maybe, but it is also true that Madrid is practically out of the fight for the title—11 points behind Barça with four games left—and has already been eliminated from the Champions League and the Cup.
The World Cup dilemma
Some fans suspect that the Frenchman is saving himself for the World Cup that starts in five weeks. It is not the first time that he has been criticized for prioritizing his physique: he had already received blows at the beginning of the season when he did not play due to knee discomfort. But here is my reflection as a former runner: recovery is not only physical, it is mental. A trip can be part of the process if it is supervised. The problem is perception, and in football, perception outweighs medical reports.
The only thing that is certain is that Sunday’s classic will tell if Mbappé is ready for battle. And if not, the controversy will continue to run faster than him on the field.
