One of the most talked-about images of the Spanish Super Cup final was Kylian Mbappe asking his Real Madrid teammates to leave the pitch so they would not have to give a guard of honour to the Barcelo...
One of the most talked-about images of the Spanish Super Cup final was Kylian Mbappe asking his Real Madrid teammates to leave the pitch so they would not have to give a guard of honour to the Barcelona players and watch them lift the trophy.
The gesture went viral and did not sit well with many people, including some within Madrid’s own squad, and it also drew criticism from Barça president Joan Laporta.
During a chat with RAC1 (h/t SPORT), Laporta openly questioned the French forward’s reaction, saying:
“I was surprised by what Mbappe did. In both victory and defeat, you have to be generous and respectful. This is sport, and you should behave normally.
“I think we were generous in victory and showed respect to the opposing team, which is why I can’t understand it.”
Mbappe’s behaviour after Super Cup loss under scrutiny. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Laporta contextualised the incident by pointing out the lingering tension between the two teams following their recent La Liga clash at the Bernabeu.
“There was already a different feeling since the league match, and the players were a bit fired up. That’s understandable.
“I didn’t actually see Mbappe’s gesture live, but I understand that they were going through a very tough moment. They must have been really hurt and reacted that way.”
The Barça president also suggested that Madrid’s frustration stemmed from what happened on the pitch:
“I get the feeling that they were upset after realising our superiority. Deep down, they probably already sensed that we had more chances of winning, but they confirmed it out on the field. And that’s hard to take, because you see the reality of things.”
Category: General Sports
