More than 4 million Real Madrid fans have signed a petition demanding the sale of Kylian Mbappe after the forward was spotted on holiday with his girlfriend, actor Ester Exposito, in Sardinia. The backlash comes during a turbulent season for the club, which saw the dismissal of manager Xabi Alonso in January and a growing gap in the LaLiga title race.
Fan outrage over holiday
The tension escalated last weekend when Mbappe, 27, was seen vacationing while recovering from a hamstring injury. Fans viewed the trip as a lack of commitment following Real Madrid's Champions League exit and an 11-point deficit behind Barcelona. The petition, which has surpassed 4 million signatures, urges the club to sell the star player.
Training incident reported
According to reports from The Athletic, Mbappe was involved in a heated confrontation during training, where he allegedly spoke angrily and insulted a coaching staff member who called him offside. This incident has reportedly affected dressing room morale during a critical period of the season.
Player's defense
Mbappe's personal team released a statement defending him, stating that the criticisms are based on an overinterpretation of a recovery period supervised by the club. They emphasized his daily commitment to the team. Manager Alvaro Arbeloa has publicly supported Mbappe, noting that personal time is not his concern, and no internal disciplinary action has been taken.
El Clasico stakes
The situation remains tense ahead of Sunday's El Clasico. If Barcelona wins, they will clinch the LaLiga title, potentially intensifying the campaign against Mbappe. The petition continues to circulate on social media, calling on fans to stand for what is best for the club's future.
