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Real Madrid's Portuguese coach José Mourinho fiercely attacked the criticism directed at his star French forward Kylian Mbappé on Friday, describing the attacks as "ridiculous".
The France national team captain faced criticism for spending his recovery period from a left knee injury—sustained during a UEFA Nations League match against Turkey—in France and Switzerland instead of Madrid.
The 27-year-old player was photographed at the entrance of a nightclub in Paris, and another time on a bicycle while in Switzerland.
Some fans claimed that the matter was a deliberate disregard for Mourinho, who said just days prior that players should avoid skiing and cycling to prevent the risk of injury.
Mourinho said in his press conference on the eve of his team's home match against Villarreal in the Spanish League: "Is this criticism exaggerated? It is ridiculous."
He added: "All the players who needed to be here daily for recovery attended. Mbappé came, like the others, to have X-rays for his diagnosis. Then he went to see a specialist in France, because he has a knee history that we cannot ignore."
Mourinho, whose team already trails arch-rivals Barcelona by six points in the league title race, batted away every single criticism directed at Mbappé, as he never shies away from confrontation.
The 63-year-old Portuguese coach told reporters: "Football problems are not enough for you. So you raised the issue of the nightclub, which wasn't actually a club, as it was used for a private event during Fashion Week."
He continued: "As for the bicycle in Switzerland, it was at a hotel made up of small cottages, which provides them for guests to commute to common areas, and you want to convince us that he was participating in the Tour de Suisse."
Mourinho did not care about the possibility of a hostile reception for Mbappé on Saturday, and reiterated that he is "sure" the World Cup's all-time top scorer has fulfilled his "duties towards Real Madrid".
This is not the first time this season that Mbappé has faced attacks from fans.
Last month, "Ultras Sur", the far-right Real Madrid fan group banned from entering the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, protested against him.
The group was angered because Mbappé, alongside Brazilian Vinícius Júnior and fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konaté, partially folded shirts bearing the phrase "We are all Ceutans" before a Real Madrid match, in a message of support for the residents of the Spanish city bordering Morocco.
Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, is mired in a migration crisis.
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