Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid
Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images
Ever since arriving in Spain to sign for Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a love-hate relationship with the Spanish media.
The Frenchman’s arrival was expected to be the signing that propelled a Champions League-winning side to an unstoppable level.
Instead, since Mbappe arrived, Madrid are yet to win a single piece of silverware. He is now facing another wave of criticism in Spain.
Pedrerol questions Mbappe
Speaking on El Chiringuito, Pedrerol questioned Mbappe’s current situation at the Bernabeu and suggested that the connection between the player and Madridistas is beginning to weaken.
“Mbappe is losing the affection of Madridismo,” Pedrerol said.
He then questioned how the situation had reached this point given the significance Mbappe attached to finally becoming a Madrid player.
“Hadn’t he fulfilled a dream by joining Real Madrid?” he asked.
💔 "Mbappé está perdiendo el cariño del madridismo". 🤦♂️ "¿No había alcanzado un sueño llegando al Real Madrid?". La reflexión de @jpedrerol sobre el francés… con un mensaje brutal a Mourinho. https://t.co/eXuKSuUPhc
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) October 5, 2026
Mbappe’s long-awaited arrival was supposed to represent the completion of a personal ambition as much as a major sporting move for Madrid.
He had secured the move to the Spanish capital after a couple of summers when the move looked possible but did not get over the line.
Madrid supporters demand more than goals
There is an important distinction here. Pedrerol’s comments represent his assessment of the mood surrounding Mbappe.
It is not an actual suggestion that Madrid supporters as a whole have turned against the forward.
At Real Madrid, producing extraordinary numbers does not automatically guarantee an emotional connection with the Bernabeu.
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid superstar
Is Kylian Mbappe fully loved by the Santiago Bernabeu? (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Supporters also respond to sacrifice, availability and the sense of putting the club above everything and everyone else, and this is true even for a player of Mbappe’s status.
Mourinho has a role to play
Pedrerol also had a strong message for manager Jose Mourinho, who is another important part of this situation.
Managing Mbappe cannot simply be about extracting goals. Mourinho must ensure that one of his most important players feels completely connected to the project.
Mbappe has more than enough quality to silence this chatter in a couple of games. However, he needs to rethink his relationship with the Bernabeu.
Ultimately, it all hinges on how much success and silverware Mbappe is able to bring to the Spanish capital, and it remains to be seen how things play out.
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid player
Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe returned to Madrid on Monday morning after spending a few days away from the capital.
The France captain, recovering from a minor knee injury sustained during the international break landed while his teammates were training at Valdebebas, but he did not go to the club facilities at that time.
Individual training session for Mbappe
However, Mbappe did go to Ciudad Real Madrid later in the afternoon and participated in an individual training session, taking a step forward on his road to recovery.
The forward “carried out an individual afternoon training session at the Ciudad Real Madrid, working both inside the facilities and out on the pitch, where he trained with and without the ball”, Real Madrid explained on their website.
⚽🏃 @KMbappe https://t.co/YF7x8czV0p
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) October 5, 2026
“The forward continues with his recovery process with the intention of being available for this Saturday’s match against Villarreal, corresponding to the eighth round of La Liga,” the club’s website added.
Optimism over availability vs Villarreal
Mbappe suffered the knee injury during France’s UEFA Nations League opener against Turkiye, in what was Zinedine Zidane’s first game as Les Bleus’ manager.
After having scored what turned out to be the match-winning goal, the 27-year-old attacker asked to be taken off immediately before travelling to Madrid for tests, which revealed no major surgery.
Following that, he returned to France for rest, with permission from the club, before returning to the Spanish capital today and going on to train at the club facilities later on in the afternoon.
Back in training. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Having worked individually it is expected that Mbappe will soon rejoin the rest of his teammates and group training and be ready to start when Real Madrid face off against Villarreal on October 10.
This will come as an important boost for the Spanish capital club, considering that Mbappe is the team’s leading goalscorer with eight goals so far this season.
The Frenchman has come under intense scrutiny with every step he has taken during the international break. He will, therefore, be eager to come back strong and make a statement on the pitch.