Real Madrid may have approved Kylian Mbappe's getaway to Italy, but those inside the Los Blancos dressing room are far from happy with what has transpired in recent days, according to reports in Spain.
On Sunday evening, just 12 minutes before Madrid's clash against Espanyol kicked off, Mbappe landed in the Spanish capital following a short vacation to Cagliari with his girlfriend, Ester Exposito.
After picking up a hamstring injury in last month's 1-1 draw against Real Betis, the Frenchman was given permission by Madrid to take a break.
"All planning regarding injured players is always overseen by Real Madrid's medical staff, who determine when they need to go to Valdebebas and when they don't," said manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
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"In his free time, Mbappe can do whatever he sees fit, like any other player."
However, the timing of the trip – with Madrid lagging behind runaway league leaders Barcelona amid a trophyless campaign – has raised eyebrows amongst the club's fanbase during a tense period.
In fact, a new report from Spanish publication AS suggests Mbappe's widely followed vacation and the exposure it brought has 'caused confusion and unease' within the club.
"There has been little appreciation for how visible Mbappe’s trip became on social media, a situation partly fueled by the player’s inability – or unwillingness – to stay out of sight," the report says.
With Barcelona on the verge of clinching the La Liga title, it is said that Mbappe's behaviour at such a delicate moment has been 'difficult to understand' for some people behind the scenes at Madrid.
Moreover, while his teammates were committed to their clash against Espanyol, the so-called 'level of visibility' of Mbappe's trip has reportedly 'created distance' between the player and the locker room.
Jude Bellingham's Instagram post goes viral after Espanyol game
Shortly after a second-half brace from Vinicius Jr sealed all three points for Madrid on Sunday, Jude Bellingham posted several pictures on his Instagram story, including a snap of the team photo.
X user @bellitrent uploaded a screenshot of the picture alongside a caption that simply read: "OH", and the post soon went viral with over eight million views at the time of writing.
Real are currently 11 points behind Barcelona in the table with four games remaining. They will face each other on Sunday (May 10) at the Camp Nou.
Topics: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid, La Liga
Jack Kenmare