Madrid fans packed the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in mid-July as he was touted as a star signing after completing a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The Blues captain has since endured a difficult period, failing to score in his first three La Liga games, a run he snapped at the fourth attempt by netting twice against Real Betis last week.
According to Marca, Mbappe expected to be bullied by Madrid fans, as he thought he would have to put in some exceptional performances to win them over. Instead, he has been shocked by the warm reaction he has received since arriving in the Spanish capital, fresh from Euro 2024.
A warm reaction
Mbappe’s glowing reception in Madrid is a harbinger of the end of his contract at PSG, which has been marred by criticism from fans, an apparent falling out with coach Luis Enrique and a row with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. The drama with his former team is also still ongoing, as he sues the club for money he is owed.
The World Cup winner will return to international duty for the Nations League games against Italy and Belgium on September 6 and 9 respectively, before returning to Spain ahead of the La Liga clash against Real Sociedad.
