Kylian Mbappé is under close scrutiny in Spain ahead of El Clásico. The French star forward of Real Madrid has not endeared himself to the fans after taking a trip to Italy last weekend. The criticism has even prompted a response from the Mbappé camp.
Mbappé under pressure in Spain after Italy trip before El Clásico
Kylian Mbappé is heading into one of the most important matches of the season under a level of scrutiny that goes far beyond his fitness, his goals or his role in the Real Madrid attack. Ahead of El Clásico against FC Barcelona, the French forward has become the centre of a heated debate in Spain after making a short trip to Italy while recovering from a hamstring injury.
FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet on 10-05-2026 at 21:00, in a match that could have major consequences for the title race. Barcelona have the opportunity to secure the league crown with 4 rounds still to play, while Real Madrid arrive needing a response, both collectively and emotionally, after a season in which expectations have not been fully matched by silverware.
For Mbappé, the timing could hardly be more delicate. The French star has scored 41 goals in 42 matches, numbers that would usually be enough to silence almost any criticism. Yet at Real Madrid, individual statistics are never judged in isolation. The club is measured by trophies, by decisive nights, by influence in the biggest moments and by the ability to carry pressure when the entire football world is watching.
That is why his trip to Sardinia has caused such a stir. Mbappé travelled to the Italian island with permission from Real Madrid, so the issue is not one of discipline in a formal sense. He did not break club rules, and there is no suggestion that he acted without authorisation. Even so, the optics of the situation have been received poorly in Spain, especially because the trip came while his teammates were preparing and competing without him.
Images have circulated on social media showing fans demanding his departure from Real Madrid, a reaction that may be extreme but reflects the tension around his first season at the club. For many supporters, the question is not whether Mbappé was allowed to travel, but whether it was wise to do so at such a sensitive moment. In Madrid, perception often matters almost as much as reality, and this episode has created the impression that the player was too visible at the wrong time.
According to reports in the Spanish sports press, Real Madrid officials consider part of the criticism unfair. Mbappé remains the club top scorer, has produced extraordinary numbers and has carried a heavy attacking load during the campaign. From that perspective, it is understandable that the club would want to protect him from what they see as excessive public backlash.
At the same time, there is said to be discomfort within the club over the amount of attention generated by the trip to Cagliari. The problem, according to the tone coming from Madrid based newspapers, is not simply the destination. It is the lack of discretion. At a club like Real Madrid, where every gesture is analysed and every image can become a headline, even a short private trip can become a public issue.
AS has reported that this lack of discretion has not gone down well internally. Marca has also suggested that Mbappé can count on less support inside the dressing room than before. Several players are believed to have made comments after the league match against Espanyol that were interpreted as indirect references to the situation, although nobody appears to have openly confronted the French forward in public.
Coach Álvaro Arbeloa has tried to distance himself from the controversy. When asked about the decision to allow Mbappé to travel while the rest of the squad was involved in competitive action, Arbeloa pointed to the medical department. His message was clear: the medical staff decide what an injured player can and cannot do during recovery.
Arbeloa also stressed that Mbappé is free to use his private time as he wishes. From a managerial point of view, that is a careful answer. It avoids openly criticising the player, while also refusing to take full responsibility for the decision. In Spain, however, that has not stopped the debate. The feeling in much of the media is that Mbappé would have been better advised to remain in Madrid, continue his recovery quietly and avoid giving critics an easy target before El Clásico.
The situation has also fed into a wider discussion about his standing inside the club. Vinícius Júnior is now being described by some outlets as the more popular of the two major stars, both among supporters and within the squad. That does not mean Mbappé has lost his status as a central figure, but it does show how quickly the emotional balance can shift at Real Madrid.
Vinícius has been at the club longer, has already lived through major Champions League nights in the white shirt and is deeply connected with a section of the fan base. Mbappé arrived as a global superstar, but that status also created enormous expectations. Every performance, every gesture and every decision is being judged against the idea that he was supposed to elevate Real Madrid immediately.
The criticism is particularly striking because Mbappé has delivered remarkable numbers. A return of 41 goals in 42 matches is outstanding by any normal standard. Yet the frustration in Madrid is not really about goals alone. It is about the feeling that Real Madrid have not received the full symbolic impact that many expected from his arrival. When a player of this profile joins the club, supporters expect not only goals, but decisive trophies, dominance in the biggest fixtures and leadership in moments of difficulty.
That is where the lack of silverware becomes central. If Real Madrid had already secured major titles, the trip to Italy would probably have been dismissed as a minor story. Instead, with Barcelona close to clinching the league and Madrid facing the possibility of watching their biggest rival celebrate, every detail becomes more sensitive. In that environment, even a permitted trip can be viewed as a sign of poor judgement.
There is also recent history behind the reaction. Mbappé was reportedly seen in Paris in March while injured, another incident that created discomfort in some corners of the Spanish press. Catalan outlet Sport has claimed that president Florentino Pérez was unhappy with that episode, although information coming from Barcelona based media is often treated carefully in Madrid, especially before a Clásico.
It is well known that the Spanish media landscape intensifies before Barcelona and Real Madrid meet. Stories become bigger, tensions are amplified and every rumour gains more weight because the fixture itself carries so much emotion. In the days before El Clásico, even small details can be presented as signs of crisis, division or pressure.
Still, this is not just manufactured drama. Mbappé is genuinely entering a defining week. He is recovering from a hamstring injury and still has to undergo further tests before his availability is confirmed. Real Madrid are expected to assess him carefully, because rushing a player back from a muscle problem can be risky. But the sporting pressure is obvious. According to reports, Pérez expects him to be on the pitch on Sunday if there is any realistic chance of him playing.
For the player himself, the response can only come on the field. Public statements from his camp may explain the situation, and the club may try to calm the debate, but at Real Madrid the most effective answer is always performance. A goal at the Camp Nou, a decisive display or a dominant attacking contribution would change the tone immediately. In football, especially at this level, criticism can disappear quickly when the ball goes in.
That is what makes the match so significant. Barcelona can secure the title, Real Madrid need pride and Mbappé needs a statement performance. It is the kind of stage for which he was signed. The French forward has spent much of his career thriving under pressure, but the pressure in Madrid is different. It is constant, emotional and shaped by the history of a club that demands greatness every season.
If he plays and delivers, the conversation around Sardinia will quickly lose strength. If he plays and struggles, or if Barcelona celebrate the title in front of him, the criticism will only grow louder. If he does not play at all, the questions about his injury, his trip and his commitment to the final stretch of the season will continue into the following days.
Inside Real Madrid, there will also be a need to manage the dressing room carefully. A squad with players of this profile can only function if the hierarchy feels respected and the collective objective remains above individual circumstances. Mbappé is not just another player, but that also means his actions carry more weight. What may be acceptable for one injured squad member can become a national debate when it involves him.
From a football perspective, Real Madrid need him. His pace, finishing, movement and ability to decide matches are precisely the qualities required against Barcelona. Even when he is not at full rhythm, Mbappé forces opponents to defend deeper and changes the geometry of the game. His presence alone can create space for Vinícius, Jude Bellingham and the rest of the attacking structure.
But this week is no longer only about tactics. It is about image, authority and trust. Real Madrid need to know that their biggest attacking star is fully aligned with the demands of the club. The supporters need to feel that he understands the emotional weight of the shirt. And Mbappé needs to show that his first response to criticism will not be made through explanations, but through football.
That is why El Clásico arrives at a decisive moment for him. The trip to Italy may have been approved, but the reaction has revealed a fragile relationship between expectation and acceptance. Mbappé is admired, but not yet untouchable. He is respected, but not yet protected in the way long established Madrid legends have been protected. He has scored at an extraordinary rate, but he has not yet converted those numbers into the collective success Real Madrid demand.
Sunday could help change that. A strong performance against Barcelona would not erase every doubt, but it would remind everyone why Madrid worked so hard to bring him to the club. A disappointing night, especially if Barcelona seal the title, would deepen the sense that something is still missing from this version of Real Madrid.
For now, the French forward remains under the microscope. His hamstring will be tested, his body language will be studied and every movement in the days before the match will be interpreted. That is the reality of life at Real Madrid. Talent opens the door, goals build status, but only decisive moments create full acceptance.
Mbappé has already provided the goals. What Real Madrid now need is the statement. Against Barcelona, with the title on the line and criticism surrounding him, he has the perfect stage to turn the debate back in his favour.
