Arbeloa urges Mbappé to show his commitment on the pitch

Call to step up in final matches

Arbeloa called on Mbappé, who has been facing criticism from the Spanish press and a large number of Real Madrid fans, to demonstrate his commitment during the final three matches of the La Liga season.

“Will Mbappé play tomorrow (against Oviedo)? We’ll see if he finishes training today, as he did yesterday. If he’s ready, he will certainly get extra minutes to continue proving his commitment to the club and to participate in the three remaining matches despite having four yellow cards (a fifth results in suspension),” Arbeloa said at a press conference.

Focus on goals and contribution

The Spanish coach added, “As a Madridista before being a coach, I would like to see him continue doing what he does best: scoring goals.”

Injury and season context

Mbappé missed the recent Clásico against Barcelona after failing to fully recover from a hamstring injury. Barcelona were officially crowned La Liga champions in that match, while Real Madrid ended the season without silverware.

Off-field scrutiny and criticism

His absence from the match sparked debate in Spain regarding his behavior, with accusations of selfishness, particularly after his trip to Sardinia the weekend before the Espanyol fixture.

He also faced further criticism after being seen leaving the training ground smiling following a confrontation between teammates Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde.

Arbeloa defends Mbappé’s commitment

Arbeloa responded to concerns over Mbappé’s professionalism by insisting that the forward “always gives 100%,” otherwise he would not be at his current level.