The end of the season is generating significant strain at Real Madrid. With no major objectives remaining beyond finishing strongly, the campaign is dragging on, and each week feels increasingly long.
This is especially evident in the dressing room atmosphere. Disagreements have become frequent, such as the situations involving Dani Carvajal and Dani Ceballos with Alvaro Arbeloa.
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Not even Kylian Mbappe has escaped this environment, also becoming a central figure off the pitch. His recent trip to Italy while recovering from injury has once again placed him under scrutiny.
Injured players were given days off, and the Frenchman was not the only one to travel, with Arda Guler going to Ibiza.
However, Mbappe’s status and the sensitive moment at the club have made his case particularly notable. And the growing noise surrounding the 27-year-old superstar is causing concern within the club.
Distance growing
In fact, according to MARCA, the main issue with Mbappe is his growing distance from the rest of the Real Madrid squad. This is not only due to injuries, which have kept him out of daily activities and many matches this year.
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At Valdebebas, there have been murmurs about certain controversial attitudes that have not been well received in the dressing room.
Furthermore, the perceived “power struggle” between Vinicius Jr. and Mbappe appears to favour the Brazilian.
All is not well at Real Madrid. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
This is not only because Vinicius has carried the team during a difficult period, but also because he enjoys the support and connection of the group. The squad is fully committed to the Brazilian winger, while the same cannot currently be said for Mbappe now.
In recent months, this situation has somewhat fractured the unity between the French player and the rest of the locker room.
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Signs of this were visible during his substitution against Real Betis after sustaining an injury. Mbappe left the pitch visibly displeased, offering a cold exchange with Arbeloa and showing reluctance to explain his condition.
How it came to this
Physical problems have been the primary reason behind Mbappe’s isolation and loss of connection with the team. So far this year, he has spent 53 days sidelined due to five injuries and has missed 10 matches.
The trip to Paris for a second medical opinion after the recurrence of a knee injury in February came with its own set of controversies.
Upon his return, nothing was quite the same. Mbappe did not regain his previous sharpness and remained affected by frustration over the injury situation.
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At the same time, a resurgent Vinicius was taking centre stage and receiving praise from Arbeloa, who increasingly relied on the Brazilian as a key figure.
To make matters worse, a new injury again sidelined Mbappe and the latest trip to Italy created further tension. Real Madrid, for their part, will be hoping that things settle down in the locker room at the earliest and not spill over into the next season.
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