Benched Mbappe is said to be the fourth player at Real Madrid under Arbeloa | Football News

The striker was booed by his fans when he came off the bench in his return from injury in the 2-0 La Liga win against Real Oviedo.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe says coach Alvaro Arbeloa told him he was the “fourth player” in the squad before he was benched against Real Oviedo.

The France captain returned from a thigh problem in Thursday’s 2-0 win over Oviedo, but his appearance as a 69th-minute substitute was met with a whistle from Madrid’s own side. disgruntled agents at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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Madrid fans say so criticized their main player in recent weeks due to his inability to commit, Mbappe is not eligible to play in last week’s Clasico, when Barcelona beat Madrid to take the Spanish title.

Arbeloa started with Vinicius Junior, Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia against Oviedo, with Mbappe out for almost three weeks.

“I am very well, 100 percent, I did not play because the coach told me that for him I am the fourth player in the team, behind Mastantuono, Vinicius and Gonzalo,” Mbappe told reporters after the match.

The striker received an assist and passed to Jude Bellingham, also a substitute, for Madrid’s second goal.

“In the end, I accept (being on the bench), and I play when I have to play,” said the striker.

Fans were not happy with Mbappe going to Sardinia on holiday while he recovers from his injury.

The shooter underestimated the importance of his visit.

“I had the club’s permission to stay away from Madrid,” Mbappe said. “I wasn’t alone, but you have to accept it and move on.”

Madrid coach Arbeloa said in his press conference after the match that he did not tell Mbappe that he had stopped following.

“Maybe they misunderstood me. I don’t know what to tell you,” Arbeloa told reporters.

“For me it is clear that a player who four days ago could not even make the bench in a game, should not start today, especially because this is not the last, it is not a life or death game…

“Also because we have a game on Sunday where he will be the first choice forward, as I told him.”

Arbeloa said he could understand Mbappe, who has scored 41 goals in 42 games this season, not being happy.

“I can understand that Kylian Mbappe is not happy today because he didn’t play, but it’s a decision based, as I said, on what happened and, as I said before, I don’t want to risk anything,” the coach added.

Madrid’s season has been difficult, with coach Xabi Alonso replaced by Arbeloa in January.

With Barca having sealed the La Liga title, Los Blancos will end a second year in a row without a major trophy, and president Florentino Perez has called for an election.