Report: Players unhappy with Mbappe, Rudiger slaps teammate in Real Madrid crisis

Real Madrid are reportedly engulfed in an ongoing internal crisis just days before a pivotal El Clásico against Barcelona, where Álvaro Arbeloa’s side must secure a victory to prevent their eternal rivals from officially clinching the LALIGA title. 

According to The Athletic, the dressing room environment has reportedly turned incredibly toxic following a catastrophic sequence of off-field incidents in recent weeks, headlined by star forward Kylian Mbappé allegedly insulting a member of the coaching staff during a heated training ground bust-up. 

This alarming breakdown in discipline is part of a wider institutional meltdown that also saw 33-year-old German centre-back Antonio Rüdiger physically slap teammate Álvaro Carreras during a separate argument at the Valdebebas training complex in April, according to reports.

These fractures arise as Madrid attempt to salvage a faltering domestic campaign that has seen them completely surrender the league's momentum, having dropped vital points in a devastating 1-1 draw with Real Betis on Friday, April 24.

The tension surrounding Mbappé has been exacerbated by a controversial vacation he took while meant to be rehabilitating from a semitendinosus muscle lesion in his left leg, an injury he sustained before being substituted in the 81st minute against Real Betis. 

Instead of remaining low-profile, the French international travelled to Sardinia, Italy, with his girlfriend, actress Ester Expósito, notably landing back in the Spanish capital on Sunday, minutes before Madrid kicked off their 2-0 victory over Espanyol. 

The trip reportedly caused "confusion and unease" among his teammates and has led to serious online criticism, ultimately forcing Mbappé's representatives to release a formal statement.

The camp claimed the outrage was based on an "over-interpretation of elements related to a recovery period strictly supervised by the club and does not reflect the reality of Kylian's commitment and daily work for the team." 

However, the glaring failure of his representatives to explicitly deny the training ground confrontation with the coaching staff has only amplified the public scrutiny, leaving the team divided ahead of their must-win showdown against Barcelona.