Mourinho Defends Mbappe Over Injury Recovery Criticism

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho defended Kylian Mbappe against criticism of the forward’s recovery from a knee injury, saying the player had completed his obligations to the club and was expected to play against Villarreal on Saturday, October 10. Mourinho called the criticism “ridiculous” at a news conference on Friday. He said Mbappe came to Madrid for scans after sustaining a left knee injury while on international duty with France, then travelled to France for an outpatient consultation with a specialist familiar with the player’s knee history. The scrutiny followed reports and photographs of Mbappe in Paris and Switzerland during the international break. Mourinho said the Paris venue was hosting a private Fashion Week event, not operating as a nightclub. He also said bicycles at the Swiss hotel were available to guests for getting around its grounds. The images drew attention because Mourinho had previously urged players to avoid activities such as cycling and skiing to reduce injury risk. He rejected suggestions that Mbappe had defied the club’s recovery arrangements, but the details of the plan were not disclosed in the accounts of his remarks.