They lost Copa del Rey without me — Mbappe fires back at critics

Kylian Mbappé has defended himself against accusations that his constant presence on the pitch is destabilising Real Madrid, highlighting the team's catastrophic failure when he was actually given a break. 

Responding directly to critics who claimed he was playing far too many minutes under Xabi Alonso, the French forward pointed to the club's humiliating 3-2 defeat against second-tier Albacete in January, which resulted in their elimination from the Copa del Rey Round of 16. 

"I remember people said I had to rest in the Copa del Rey, that I was playing too much… and then we got eliminated by a team from lower division," Mbappé stated. 

By referencing that catastrophic upset, Mbappé was effectively pushing back against the prevailing media narrative that removing him from the starting lineup makes Los Blancos play more cohesively.

The negative press currently targeting Mbappé has roots in Xabi Alonso’s stint. During his tenure, Alonso drew widespread ire from fans and media alike for regularly substituting star winger Vinícius Júnior, much to the Brazilian's visible frustration, while allowing Mbappé to complete full matches. 

Despite being scapegoated for the squad's apparent lack of balance and dressing room harmony, Mbappé has undeniably delivered on an individual level, standing as the club's undisputed top scorer for two consecutive seasons. 

However, his elite personal output has failed to translate into collective silverware. With Real Madrid now officially set to miss out on the three main prizes of the season, LALIGA, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League, for an agonising second consecutive campaign since his arrival, fans and the media continue to question whether the superstar is the primary catalyst for the club's ongoing institutional crisis.