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Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe slammed coach Alvaro Arbeloa after being left out of the starting eleven against Oviedo. The French star said that coach Alvaro Arbeloa told him that he is the team`s fourth-choice striker.
Mbappe, who had been nursing a left hamstring injury, said he was ready to play from the start against Oviedo, but Arbeloa decided not to use him.
“I`m 100% fine. I didn`t play because the coach told me I`m the fourth striker in the squad behind (Franco) Mastantuono, Vini (Vinicius Junior) and Gonzalo (Garcia). I accept it. I was ready to start; it was his decision. You can`t be angry with the coach; you always have to respect the opinion of the coach. I`ll keep working hard and wait to be the starter.” Mbappe said.
Arbeloa denies Mbappe`s claims
Real Madrid coach Arbeloa was surprised by Mbappe`s comments and said that he never told him that. He further added that he had no idea why Mbappe felt like that.
“I don`t have four strikers, and I haven`t told anything like that to Mbappe,” Arbeloa said. “He probably didn`t understand me. I don`t really know what to tell you. I wouldn`t tell him that he`s the fourth-choice striker.”
The saga between Mbappe and Arbeloa adds another layer to the already chaotic week for Madrid. Earlier this week, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were fined 500,000 euros ($589,000) each by Madrid following an altercation between the players during training.
Mbappe was also booed by the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium after coming into the match to replace Garcia in the 68th minute. He assisted in Jude Bellingham`s 79th-minute goal that sealed Madrid`s 2-0 win.
The French star had been criticised by some fans who claimed he was saving himself for the World Cup. During his time off because of the injury, Mbappe reportedly travelled to Italy with actress Ester Exposito, prompting criticism in Spanish media that he may not be taking his rehabilitation seriously.
“I had the club`s permission to be away from Madrid. I wasn`t the only one, but you have to accept it and move on. I can easily turn this situation around.” Mbappe said.
(With AP Input)
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