Kylian Mbappé remains at the center of attention. Two days later the hearing held at the Paris industrial tribunal following the conflict between Paris Saint-Germain and the club’s former star who are claiming astronomical sums from each other, it is a trip which now places him at the heart of the news. Package for the French team’s trip to Azerbaijan On Sunday, the Bondynois took the opportunity to spend a few days in Dubai.
Thanks to images posted on social networks, it is possible to retrace part of the stay of the captain of the Blues. He would therefore have stayed a few days at the Atlantis The Royal hotel and made a visit to the padel club “Padel One”, as revealed by photos posted on the institution’s Instagram account where also appear brothers Lucas and Théo Hernandez.
Starting Sunday against Elche?
If this trip is not abnormal, the context raises more questions. Because in a press release released last Friday, the French Football Federation announced the withdrawal of its attacker, specifying that “ Kylian Mbappé still feels inflammation of the right ankle which requires examination. He will perform them today in Madrid. »
“He has almost chronic inflammation because he’s had this ankle problem for a while, Didier Deschamps then clarified Saturday at a press conference. Even if that doesn’t stop him from playing. I believe that there is no risk to take since we are already qualified and I left him at the disposal of Real Madrid. »
According to information from L’TeamKylian Mbappé however did not return to the Spanish capital for these medical examinations. As for the French team, we argue that there was indeed a question of additional examinations when the captain’s withdrawal was announced on Friday morning. The staff believes, moreover, that from the moment Kylian Mbappé was left at the disposal of Real Madrid, these examinations were then the responsibility of the Madrid club and not that of the Blues. “We told the truth at the moment”, we defend ourselves internally, recalling that the striker had complained of ankle pain at the end of the match against Ukraine.
This Wednesday, he was expected at the Real training center, probably for treatment. And he should start against Elche on Sunday after a period of rest that Xabi Alonso hoped would give some breathing space to his prolific striker, author of 18 goals in 16 games with the Madrilenians this season.
At a press conference with the French team in September, the Bondynois had called for “more rest” for the players. “I understand the supporters who want us to play more. We can play the same number of matches but with a little more rest to regenerate the body and endure the same load of matches,” he said.
One year after Sweden
This trip to Dubai, however, challenged certain observers, and in particular the former international Jérôme Rothen, who said he was “shocked” in his show on RMC Sportevoking a “lack of respect” from the captain of the Blues for the France team.
Conversely, former international Bixente Lizarazu defended Mbappé’s absence in Azerbaijan in the columns of L’Equipe on Sunday: “He is undoubtedly the player on the French team who is most pressurized from every point of view. He needs to have oxygen bubbles, probably more than the others. He is happy with the Real jersey, happy with the Blues jersey, all the lights are green. In a match like this, who can win points? The usual ones on the bench. For them, it is important to play in Azerbaijan. For Mbappé – and for all Blues supporters – it is important that he is fit in America. »
This stay indeed recalls the one carried out in Sweden in October 2024 while the France team faced Israel. While he had not been selected with the Blues to benefit from time to rest and adapt in his new club Real Madrid, the former Parisian had been seen at restaurants and nightclubs in Stockholm. A rest then authorized by the Madrilenians.
