Kylian Mbappé was left out of Real Madrid’s squad for El Clasico after leaving training early with hamstring discomfort, amid off-field turmoil and sanctions inside the club.
A late training setback has thrown Real Madrid’s El Clasico squad into turmoil, with Kylian Mbappé left out of the travelling group to face Barcelona after he abruptly stopped work at the end of Saturday’s session.
According to the report. the 27-year-old startled teammates as the session wound down. halting suddenly after feeling discomfort in his hamstring.. With only about five minutes remaining. he announced he could not continue and left the pitch. ending a day that staff had previously viewed as positive and had them hopeful about a return at the Nou Camp on Sunday evening.
The decision lands in the middle of an already volatile period for Madrid. where supporters have voiced anger over Mbappé’s choice to go on a yacht holiday with his new girlfriend while he was recovering from the hamstring injury.. The backlash has been loud enough that a petition calling for the club to sell him this summer reportedly gathered millions of signatures. reflecting how quickly the mood around his season has soured.
While the criticism has dominated headlines, Mbappé appeared to confront the situation with composure. He was pictured laughing as he exited Madrid’s training ground following a chaotic day, even as internal conflict inside the club escalated.
That context helps explain why Mbappé’s absence carries extra weight: while Antonio Álvaro Arbeloa’s side head into a match against their bitter rivals with pressure already mounting. the Catalans have the opportunity to secure LaLiga mathematically with one point on Sunday.. Real, meanwhile, were reported to be 11 points behind second place, with the threat that this could be another trophyless season.
In squad selection terms. the report states that Aurélien Tchouaméni has been included in the group travelling to Barcelona. but there is no place for either Mbappé or Federico Valverde.. The same report notes that this comes despite suggestions earlier in the week that Mbappé was nearing a return. including images of him doing ballwork at the club’s training base.
Real’s problems have not been confined to injuries and training-ground decisions.. In what was described as a shocking dressing room row. teammates Valverde and Tchouaméni were involved in a confrontation that reportedly resulted in Valverde falling unconscious and cutting his head. requiring hospital treatment.
Both players were then fined €500. 000 for their roles in the incident. adding financial consequence to a day that also raised questions about what has been happening inside the dressing room.. The report also situates the conflict alongside another controversy from the week: it was reported that Antonio Rudiger “slapped” teammate Álvaro Carreras. with Carreras issuing a statement that appeared to confirm the confrontation.
Arbeloa moved quickly to contain the fallout from Valverde and Tchouaméni’s clash. defending them at a press conference on Friday and praising the club’s handling of the matter.. He framed his stance around turning the page and giving the players a chance to keep fighting for the badge. while rejecting the idea that they should be publicly “crucified.”
Speaking in more personal terms. Arbeloa also suggested that any attempt to turn internal conflict into a wider narrative about professionalism was misplaced.. He insisted he would not allow the incident to be used to question how either player conducts themselves. and he even pointed responsibility back toward himself by stating he is ultimately accountable for a season that has not met expectations.
His comments also touched on the issue of leaks from inside Real’s dressing room.. Arbeloa said he had concerns about information escaping the group. describing the leak dynamic as “betrayal and disloyalty to the badge. ” while stopping short of naming individuals or making accusations about players without clarity.
When asked about the identity of those responsible. Arbeloa reportedly emphasized that he does not work for intelligence agencies and argued that multiple people could be involved with Real Madrid’s internal information flow.. He added that what happens between him and the players should remain within that relationship. stressing the need to set an example.
Arbeloa also addressed the Mbappé angle directly. arguing that a player leaving training smiling is sometimes misread and taken out of context.. He referenced Mbappé’s efforts in joining Real. the work the striker had already committed during his rehabilitation period. and what he described as the respect shown to the current coaching staff.
Meanwhile. the larger backdrop of Arbeloa’s remarks included his explanation that clashes can happen in dressing rooms. drawing a comparison to a well-known Liverpool incident involving then-teammates Craig Bellamy and John Arne-Riise in 2007.. He noted that Liverpool still went on to reach that season’s Champions League final. suggesting that internal trouble does not always define outcomes.
For Real, though, the immediate implication is stark.. Heading into El Clasico with Mbappé out and Valverde unavailable. the club must navigate both the tactical reality of a depleted squad and the emotional turbulence of a week that has featured injuries. internal sanctions. reported confrontations. and fan fury tied to Mbappé’s rehabilitation choices.
Whether Madrid can respond on the pitch now hinges on how quickly they can settle internal issues and rally around the players selected for Barcelona, especially with the title race in sight for the opposition and the margin for error rapidly closing.
El Clasico Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid Barcelona hamstring dressing room row LaLiga title