Mbappe Back in Real Madrid Training Ahead of Villarreal Clash
Kylian Mbappe returned to full Real Madrid training on Wednesday and is expected to be available for Saturday’s La Liga meeting with Villarreal at the Bernabeu, despite growing tension around his recovery and the squad’s wider dressing-room problems.
The France forward had pulled out of international duty with a left-knee tendon issue after scoring against Turkey. He was subsequently seen at a Paris nightclub with partner Ester Exposito and later posted footage of himself cycling in the Swiss Alps, drawing frustration inside the club.
Jose Mourinho is understood to have taken issue with both Mbappe’s activities during his recovery and his return to Madrid on Monday after training had already taken place. The Portuguese coach reportedly confronted his leading forward and demanded more caution and discretion away from the pitch.
Mourinho had set out his position only last month, stressing that elite players must treat their profession as a round-the-clock responsibility. He warned that diet, sleep and private conduct can all affect performance, and specifically identified skiing and cycling as avoidable risks. A fall from a bike, he argued, could cost a player several matches or potentially lead to a more serious injury.
Fresh dressing-room concern
Mbappe’s situation has landed amid reports of another physical confrontation between two unnamed members of the first-team group. It is the latest indication that Mourinho has yet to settle a divided camp during his return to the Spanish capital.
The problems are said to stretch back months. Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni reportedly came to blows in May, while players also found it difficult to build relationships with previous coaches Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
The atmosphere is described as no warmer than it was five months ago, with Mourinho’s demanding approach unable so far to remove the distance within the group. The Mbappe episode has added to an already strained environment at a pivotal point in October.
Madrid have taken five wins from their first seven league fixtures but sit six points behind Barcelona. Mourinho must now prepare his side for Villarreal before taking them to Roma in the Champions League next Wednesday, with the immediate challenge clear: restore order while keeping the club’s domestic and European objectives alive.
