Jose Mourinho takes a firm stand after Kylian Mbappe is said to have broken a tough Real Madrid rule.
Jose Mourinho wanted to clear things up after Kylian Mbappe was said to have broken one of his strict rules. Mbappe had to pull out of the France national team after getting hurt in a game against Turkey on September 25. After that, people saw him going to Paris Fashion Week and riding a bike.
Mourinho has a rule that players shouldn’t ride bikes when they’re injured. He mentioned this in a press conference, saying, “You can’t ride a bike. You might fall, miss games, or even break a leg. Being a football player means giving up some things.”
Many, especially in the Spanish media, thought Mourinho would be upset about Mbappe cycling while hurt during the international break. But Mourinho explained Mbappe was just using the bike for a short trip around a hotel area. He said, “At Real Madrid, it’s always different. All players did what they were supposed to during the break. Sometimes people want to find problems where there aren’t any.”
Mourinho added, “I promise you, if a Real Madrid player doesn’t behave properly or fails the team, he won’t even make it to the bench. He’ll be at home.”
When asked if the fuss about Mbappe riding a bike was too much, Mourinho answered, “Not too much—ridiculous. If Mbappe plays tomorrow, it means he has done everything the club expects.”
Someone asked if Mbappe might be booed by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Mourinho said, “If that happens, it’s a win for you media, not pointing fingers though. There are many other real stories going on in football right now, but people still want to make a big deal here. Madrid is Madrid, and it always gets attention. I thought today you’d ask about the match instead.”
He added, “This is your goal—to stir things up. I respect the Bernabeu, and I hope the fans can be fair.”
Real Madrid will play Villarreal at home on Saturday, October 10. Right now, they are fourth in La Liga and six points behind leaders Barcelona after seven games this season.