Real Madrid head coach Álvaro Arbeloa addressed the rumors regarding Kylian Mbappé’s dissatisfaction with his playing time during a pre-match press conference ahead of the team’s upcoming clash with Sevilla.
Arbeloa did not shy away from the issue, openly supporting the French forward’s ambitions. He emphasized that a top footballer’s passion and desire to be on the pitch every minute are what distinguish them. “I just saw him before coming out to the press and told him: ‘Relax, I’ll handle it myself,’” he stated. “But Kylian was unhappy recently because he didn’t play, and I love that!”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t understand it if he, being Mbappé, didn’t want to be on the pitch,” the Spanish coach admitted candidly.
Arbeloa clarified that the decision to bring Mbappé on in the second half of the previous match was a tactical choice made to manage his workload for the challenging away fixture against Sevilla. He mentioned that all decisions were discussed with Mbappé face-to-face, leading to a natural understanding within the team.
When asked if he was bothered by details of his private conversations with Mbappé leaking to the press, Arbeloa responded, “No, it didn’t bother me at all. I have no fear that they might share our conversation with someone else. My relationship with Mbappé remains exactly the same as before,” he concluded.
Real Madrid’s match against Sevilla is scheduled for tomorrow, May 17th, at 19:00 Central European Time.