Mbappé at Paris nightclub while injured: Real Madrid approves, controversy grows

Kylian Mbappé found himself at the center of a controversy after being photographed Wednesday night at a Parisian nightclub, Boum Boum, in the company of his partner Ester Exposito — while he is sidelined from the France squad due to a left knee hyperextension sustained against Turkey last Friday.

The France captain had first stopped in Madrid for medical examinations before heading to the French capital. According to a journalist from Spanish program El Chiringuito, Mbappé did not report to Valdebebas training center over the last two days. “It’s a mystery. He arrives injured from France but isn’t getting treatment in the city where he plays,” reacted another pundit on the show.

Faced with the media frenzy in Spain, Real Madrid chose to speak out. According to newspaper AS, the club’s doctors indicated that Mbappé’s injury “requires only active rest and there would be no benefit to him being at Valdebebas”. The club therefore approved the player remaining in Paris during his recovery.

This clarification, however, was not enough to dispel the irritation of part of the Madrid fanbase. Real Madrid is navigating a difficult start to the season: six points behind FC Barcelona at the top of La Liga, and a defeat in the derby against Atlético Madrid (2-1) that still weighs on minds. In this context, images of their star signing out at night fueled criticism, even though the outing was approved by the club’s medical staff.