The Three Moments That Worsened the Already Tense Relationship Between Mbappé and Arbeloa

The scandals at Real Madrid continue unabated after yet another trophyless season. The latest drama in the "Los Blancos" dressing room involves a heated exchange between star player Kylian Mbappé and coach Álvaro Arbeloa.

“The coach told me I was the fourth-choice striker,” the French forward declared yesterday after the 2-0 victory over Oviedo. Arbeloa, in turn, responded: “I never said that to him; I wish I had four strikers. He must have misunderstood me…”

Another veiled jab from Mbappé at the coach came with his words: "We started the season well, in the league, in the Champions League... but we lost everything in the second half. And it hurts a lot because I feel we had a structured approach and a clear idea of how to play, but we lost it." This time, Arbeloa didn't let the comment pass. "It would seem normal for him to think that way; he probably scored many more goals in the first half of the season than in the second."

The tension peaked when Arbeloa was informed of another statement from the forward, in which Mbappé claimed he was ready to start against Oviedo. “While I’m sitting in this chair, I make the decisions. If they don’t like it, they can wait for the next one,” the young coach emphasized.

Amidst this new conflict at Real Madrid, the newspaper "AS" reveals and analyzes three key moments that have further strained the already distant relationship between the coach and the superstar.

1. The primary issue arose on the eve of the derby against Barcelona. Mbappé was desperate to be in the spotlight for "El Clásico." According to "AS," everything unraveled when he realized during Saturday's training session, the last one before the trip to Barcelona, that he wouldn't be starting.

He withdrew from the session in the final minutes, complaining of discomfort, and mysteriously did not appear in the final squad announced nine hours before the match at Camp Nou. Not even as a substitute, as he had done for the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia when Xabi Alonso was still in charge.

Arbeloa, who hinted at players' "big egos" during his statement, explicitly mentioned the absence in Barcelona. “A player who couldn't even be on the bench four days ago had to come on in the second half today (yesterday)...” If it doesn't smell like a punishment, it certainly looks like one.

2. A second clash between Mbappé and Arbeloa, which occurred earlier, was at the Real Madrid coach's press conference at "RSDE" after the 2-0 victory over Espanyol. This followed three questions regarding Mbappé's commitment, who had landed in Madrid on a private jet after his controversial Italian trip with his girlfriend. This happened while the Frenchman was still injured – and just twelve minutes before his teammates' match began.

“We didn’t build what Real Madrid is with players who step onto the field dressed in tuxedos,” Arbeloa famously remarked then. This statement resonated strongly within the club, signaling what was to come in the week leading up to "El Clásico."

3. There's a third, more subtle aspect to the conflict. Last night, during the match against Oviedo, Arbeloa used an entire substitution slot just to bring on Mbappé. This might seem like a minor detail, but no one else apart from the Frenchman was given playing time. The result was a resounding booing for Mbappé, which he met with a half-hearted smile.

"The Valdebebas training ground is increasingly resembling a minefield," "AS" concludes tellingly.