Fourth Striker? What Real Madrid’s Manager Told Kylian Mbappe

Real Madrid fans made their discontentment known Thursday by jeering Kylian Mbappe at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium before a 2-0 win over already relegated Oviedo. Kylian Mbappe spoke to the media after entering as a substitute following an injury layoff and was booed by many in the crowd. “I think that’s life, we can’t change people’s opinion when they’re angry. It’s a way for them to talk, to express themselves, and I think you shouldn’t take it personally,” Mbappe said. It’s the life of a Real Madrid player and the life of a famous player like me.” New Place On The Depth Chart Perhaps the most jarring revelation of the evening wasn’t the boos, but Mbappé’s current standing in the locker room. Despite providing the assist for Jude Bellingham’s 79th-minute goal to seal the win, the superstar finds himself in an unfamiliar position on the depth chart. “Today I didn’t play because the coach told me that, for him, I’m the fourth striker in the squad behind Mastantuono, Vini (Vinícius Júnior) and Gonzalo (Garcia). In the end, I accept it and I play the time I get. We played well, I gave Jude an assist and I’m positive.” Addressing The “Holiday” And The Injury The frustration from the stands seemed to stem from Mbappé’s absence during the Clásico, a match Madrid desperately needed. Addressing the crowd’s reaction to his time away, Mbappé was blunt about the medical reality and the public’s perception. “It was a pretty damn bad injury in my leg. It was a shame for me not to be able to play in the Clásico. It’s a match I love playing in, I always score against Barcelona, so it was a shame not to help the team. When pressed on why the fans remained vitriolic regarding his recent time off, he remained firm: “I had the club’s permission. I didn’t understand what people were saying. But you have to accept it, a footballer can’t always try to understand. I have to look ahead, move on and change the situation. I think I can change the situation.” The Return to a Hostile Home A couple of banners against president Florentino Pérez were held up briefly before being removed by security officials. Pérez saluted some of the fans, but at one point he appeared to get into an verbal altercation with some of the team’s supporters near the VIP tribunes, according to Spanish media reports. The match capped a chaotic week for Madrid, which started with an altercation between players in training that led the club to fine Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni 500,000 euros ($589,000) each. Then came the loss to Barcelona in the clásico on Sunday that allowed its rival to clinch the league title, and on Tuesday Pérez called for new elections after saying he was the victim of an “organized campaign” to unseat him. Speaking Out As Madrid faces a second straight season without a major trophy—having been ousted from the Champions League by Bayern Munich and the Copa del Rey by second division club Albacete—the internal politics of the club have become public theater. While Florentino Pérez spent his week accusing the media of an “organized campaign” against him, Mbappé chose to address his critics directly. “There are people who don’t speak, who only speak in the press, and I prefer to speak here, from my own mouth.” 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET). The Associated Press contributed to this report.