Dressing room tensions have flared up and fans have been outspoken in their criticism of certain players
Tensions have risen inside Real Madrid in the buildup to Sunday’s decisive clásico against Barcelona. A host of internal disputes has the mood around the squad seriously low.
There has been unrest at Madrid since their elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich last month and club president Florentino Perez told the players that the season had been an “intolerable failure”.
One recent incident in the dressing room involved Antonio Rudiger, who was reported by sources at the club to have initiated a heated argument with a teammate at Valdebebas. This was in April. Rudiger is said to have later apologised and indeed hosted a lunch for teammates and their families just last week.
A separate incident occurred before the trip to face Real Betis on 24 April, when Kylian Mbappe clashed with a member of the coaching staff during training. The forward is reported to have reacted angrily after being flagged offside in a drill, using insulting language at the staff member acting as an assistant referee.
Neither of these incidents is understood to have resulted in disciplinary action and they are not believed to be unusual in professional football, but they have contributed to a worsening atmosphere within the squad.
Mbappe’s conduct, in particular, has drawn criticism from individuals within and around the club, and it is causing some fans, especially on social media, to turn against the player.
Mbappe particularly faced scrutiny this week for traveling to Italy during his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained against Betis. He was picture in Sardinia with his girlfriend Ester Esposito and it led to backlash from supporters who believed he should be around the squad.
Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa declined to criticise Mbappe publicly. “In their free time, each player does what they see fit, and I don’t get involved in that,” Arbeloa said. “All planning regarding injured players is supervised and managed by Madrid’s medical staff, who are the ones who decide when they need to go to Valdebebas and when they don’t.”
Mbappe has also been accused of prioritising France at the expense of Madrid, playing at half intensity so that he can be fit for the World Cup this summer. There have even been calls for him to be sold.
The unrest within the squad is likely to be met with big changes in the summer. Arbeloa is surely leaving and several other players are also facing unclear roles.
