Kylian Mbappe has called on Real Madrid supporters to show solidarity with Vinicius Junior after the Brazilian forward was jeered by fans at the Santiago Bernabeu over the weekend.
Vinicius, along with Jude Bellingham, was targeted by sections of the home crowd following a turbulent week for the Spanish giants, which included defeats to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup and to second-division Albacete in the Copa del Rey.
The club also parted ways with head coach Xabi Alonso last Monday.
“The fans shouldn’t single out one individual to be booed,” Mbappe said on Monday.
“None of this is Vinicius’ fault. If we play poorly, it’s all of our faults. I didn’t like that at all.”
The French forward was speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Monaco at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Mbappe described Vinicius, who narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or in 2024, as one of the best players in world football.
“We must protect him better so that he is not alone in the face of criticism,” Mbappe added. “He is not alone at Real Madrid. We are all with him.”
Despite recent setbacks, Madrid closed the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to just one point after a 2-0 victory over Levante at the weekend, marking the first win for new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
Real Madrid will now look to build momentum when they host Ligue 1 side Monaco in European competition.
Follow the latest news on Google News
