Mbappe among players jeered by Real Madrid fans
Real Madrid fans made their discontentment known Thursday by jeering players at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium before a 2-0 win over already relegated Oviedo. Kylian Mbappe came on as a substitute after an injury layoff and was booed by part of the crowd, as was Vinicius Junior earlier. “I’ve being booed before in my career,” Mbappe said. “It’s part of it. Sometimes they are not happy”
A couple of banners against President Florentino Perez were held up briefly before being removed by security officials. Perez saluted some of the fans, but at one point he appeared to get into an verbal altercation with some of the team’s supporters near the VIP tribunes, according to Spanish media reports.
The match capped a chaotic week for Madrid, which started with an altercation between players in training that led the club to fine Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni 500,000 euros ($589,000) each. Then came the loss to Barcelona in the clasico on Sunday that allowed its rival to clinch the league title, and on Tuesday, Perez called for new elections after saying he was the victim of an “organised campaign” to unseat him.
An edgy Perez confronted journalists and made widespread accusations in a hastily scheduled news conference.
Madrid has endured two straight seasons without winning a major title. It was eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, was ousted by second-division club Albacete in the Copa del Rey and lost the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona.
Garcia put Madrid ahead in the 43rd minute and Jude Bellingham sealed the win in the 79th after an assist by Mbappe, who replaced Garcia in the 68th.
In the fight against relegation, Girona moved out of the drop zone after a 1-1 draw with eighth-place Real Sociedad at home. Cristhian Stuani scored a second-half equalizer for Girona.
Conference League finalist Rayo Vallecano, sitting in 11th place, drew 1-1 at 13th-place Valencia.
Barcelona’s hopes of reaching the 100-point mark ended Wednesday with a 1-0 loss at Alaves. The Catalan club clinched its second straight league title on Sunday with a 2-0 win over rival Real Madrid at home.
