Kylian Mbappe Faces Backlash From Real Madrid Fans

Real Madrid fans have a habit of getting very aggressive towards their current players, and on Sunday, another episode came. Kylian Mbappe, who the club signed on a free last summer, was subjected to massive booing from Los Blancos during their match against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. The reasons for the boos are still unknown as the Frenchman has been one of the best performers for the team in their dismal season.

However, the mood around the club is slightly affected after the club’s Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal. It isn’t just that they got eliminated in the Champions League; it is how they crashed out of their beloved tournament. Madrid are the 15-time Champions League winners, and to crash out 5-1 on aggregate doesn’t fit well with the Madrid fans.

The Situation Surrounding Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe was not eligible to play the La Liga game against Athletic Bilbao due to his red card in the previous game against Deportivo Alavés. Despite the appeal, Los Blancos couldn’t make their star man eligible for this game. The World Cup winner was sitting in the stands, watching his club win against Bilbao in the last minute thanks to Federico Valverde’s sensational strike.

However, Mbappe was in the firing line from the Real Madrid fans as loud jeers erupted across the Santiago Bernabeu after his face came on the screen. The Madrid fans crucified Mbappe mainly because of his poor performance against Arsenal, where he couldn’t create any chances and wasn’t much of a threat against the Gunners. Madrid’s only goal across both legs came from Vinicius Junior, who scored an equalizer in the second leg despite being 4-0 down on aggregate.

The Reputation Of Real Madrid Fans

Real Madrid is a club that prefers results over anything. It doesn’t matter to them what the reputation of the player or manager is. They will let them know if they are not performing to their capacity. Historically, they have booed their club legend, Iker Casillas, for his poor performance in his last season (2014/15). The Spanish keeper was eventually sold to FC Porto and was replaced by Keylor Navas.

Similarly, they have also booed the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, players who have been club legends. This behavior has divided opinion among the football fans, who believe that the fans should give their legends more respect than they get. There was also a situation with Sergio Ramos, whose contract was taken away from him at the last minute, as he bid farewell to the club in 2021.

Hence, Mbappe should understand that regardless of his numbers for Real Madrid, he is only as good as his last performance. The Frenchman is still new to the club but needs to understand the demands of being a Real Madrid player.

The Overall Picture For Real Madrid

The situation regarding Real Madrid is extremely troublesome. They sit four points behind FC Barcelona in the La Liga race. They also play the Catalans in the Copa Del Rey final soon, but based on their performances this season, they will go into that final as the underdog. They have lost to the Catalans quite heavily this season.

As they have lost in the Champions League, the future of current Manager Carlo Ancelotti is in considerable doubt. Many were already doubting his future at the club following the team’s poor performances before the Champions League quarterfinal. Still, the loss against Arsenal can be the icing on the cake. There are reports that the club might pull the trigger on the Italian manager after the Copa Del Rey final, regardless of the result. However, Ancelotti has remained tight-lipped on the matter.