Florentino Perez has publicly defended Kylian Mbappe, insisting the French forward remains Real Madrid's leading talent despite a frustrating 2025-26 campaign. The club president's staunch support comes as Los Blancos finished second to Barcelona in La Liga and exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage for the second consecutive year.
Speaking in an extensive interview with La Sexta, Perez addressed mounting criticism around the former Paris Saint-Germain striker: "Mbappe is the best player of Madrid at this moment. There is something that we must improve, but I am not going to get involved in that. I think he has understood what Madrid is. He has scored many goals." Despite reports of private frustration with Mbappe's behaviour during recent injury problems, the president refused to shift blame toward the 26-year-old attacker.
Physical Toll and Squad Cohesion
Perez pinpointed the gruelling fixture schedule as the primary culprit for Madrid's downfall. The Club World Cup participation exhausted the squad's physical resources, with matches every three days leaving little time for recovery. "The origin of this is in the Club World Cup. We have not been able to recover the physical aspect, we played every three days and we have not taken care of the physical side," Perez explained. This assessment reflects Madrid's elimination from the Copa del Rey by Albacete and their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich.
Beyond tactical concerns, Perez also addressed internal discord after reports emerged of a dressing room clash between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni. The president expressed frustration that confidential squad matters were reaching the media before internal resolution could occur, emphasising that such issues "should stay in the locker room" rather than being weaponised to destabilise the club.
Mbappe's Individual Brilliance
Despite Madrid's collective struggles, Mbappe's personal statistics remain impressive. The striker retained a genuine chance at winning the La Liga Golden Boot award and was poised to claim the Champions League's top scorer honour—a testament to his prolific output even during a challenging season. Perez's refusal to engage in internal player discussions, stating "I don't speak to Mbappé. I greet them at training," suggests a deliberate management approach focused on preserving squad harmony rather than public conflict.
Madrid face Real Oviedo, Sevilla and Athletic Club in their final three La Liga fixtures under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, with uncertainty surrounding whether Mbappe will recover from injury in time to contribute to the season's conclusion.
