Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid superstar
Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images
Kylian Mbappe has been the standout performer for Real Madrid this season, but the Frenchman is currently sidelined after picking up a knee injury on international duty.
The striker has been carrying out his recovery away from Madrid, a decision that has raised a few eyebrows.
And it has led to some drawing a link with Jose Mourinho’s recent comments on player conduct.
Mbappe’s recovery away from Valdebebas
"Me importa la forma en la que ves tu trabajo"
"Te caes de la bicicleta y a lo mejor te pierdes tres partidos. O peor: te rompes la pierna"
Las palabras de Mourinho que se publicaron hace solo 10 días /// la storie de Mbappé con su bicicleta tras su lesión…
— Madrid Sports (@MadridSports_) October 4, 2026
According to Diario SPORT, while most of Mbappe’s injured teammates have continued their rehabilitation at Valdebebas, the Frenchman has instead followed his own plan outside the Spanish capital.
Mbappe, who left the France camp during the break due to a hyperextension of his left knee, has been documenting his recovery on social media.
On Sunday, he posted stories showing himself running on a treadmill and riding a bike, with the lyrics “Who is very bad? The bad guy” superimposed over the images.
Flouting Mourinho’s rules?
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Mourinho is yet to get a hold of the Real Madrid dressing room. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)
The posts have been interpreted in different ways depending on the context, with some linking them to recent remarks from Mourinho.
The Portuguese had spoken a few weeks ago about activities he feels players should avoid.
“You can’t go skiing in the mountains, you can’t ride a bike. If he does, even hiding from the club, I don’t care so much about contracts, but about the image you give,” Mourinho had said.
“You fall off the bike and you can miss three games, or even worse, you can break a leg. You may just take a hit, but that can get worse and take you away from your best,” he added.
Given that backdrop, the sight of Mbappe cycling as part of his recovery inevitably invited speculation from sections of the fanbase.
However, it is worth stressing that Mbappe travelled to Paris and Switzerland with the club’s permission.
Mbappe is expected to return to action when Real Madrid resume their campaign. With the team trailing Barcelona by six points, the Frenchman’s performances will be key when the season restarts.
Federico Valverde of Real Madrid
Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
The summer was a very eventful one from Real Madrid’s perspective, especially given how the club entered the market with a real sense of purpose.
Keen on setting the record straight after two trophy-less seasons, Los Blancos were active from the get-go in terms of securing new signings, and brought in some very big names.
Concurrently, the men in white also facilitated some departures from the club including those of David Alaba and Dani Carvajal.
The captain could have left
Federico Valverde of Real Madrid
Real Madrid were willing to sell Valverde. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Now, as reported by Miguel Serrano via Defensa Central in a recent update, Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde could also have well been in his way out of the club.
According to the report, the club seriously wanted to sell the Uruguayan star in the summer. The player, however, refused to leave and cited his contract and the fact that he reserved the right to see it out.
It is no secret that Jose Mourinho deeply desired a new central midfielder – one who could bring control and creativity to the middle of the park.
Valverde in that sense, seems to have been the player the manager was willing to sacrifice and whose stubbornness about staying saw Los Blancos fail to bring in a new midfielder.
The big hurdle
Rodri, Barcelona player
Was Rodri’s arrival impacted by Valverde’s decision? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
In the same report, the Spanish outlet also confirm that Valverde was one of the reasons behind Real Madrid failing to bring in Rodri in the summer.
It is true that the club did everything in its capacity to bring the player in last month and that it was Rodri’s personal decision to join Barcelona at the end.
Yet, there was a period during that negotiation where Los Blancos refused to raise their offer beyond a certain point, and Valverde’s reluctance to leave may well have been the root cause of the same.
The manager was willing to sell the captain to bring reforms to the middle of the park, and for Valverde to stay despite the pressure is understandable. However, he now has pressure on his shoulders to deliver.
After all, he could well be made the scapegoat at the end of the season, and a lot is on the line for the Uruguayan star at this point.