Mbappé jeered by fans at the Bernabéu

Kylian Mbappé was booed by sections of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd on Thursday, May 14, when he came on as a second-half substitute in Real Madrid’s 2-0 La Liga win over Real Oviedo. The reaction came in a tense stadium days after Barcelona clinched the Spanish title with a 2-0 win over Madrid in El Clásico, leaving Madrid without a major trophy this season. Gonzalo García and Jude Bellingham scored the goals against already relegated Oviedo, but the noise around the ground centered on the supporters rather than the result. Mbappé, who returned after an injury layoff, said after the match that the boos were part of football. ### Why was Mbappé booed if Madrid won the match? Real Madrid supporters directed their frustration at several targets on Thursday, not only Mbappé. AP reported that Vinícius Júnior was also jeered earlier in the night, while banners criticizing club president Florentino Pérez were briefly displayed before security removed them. The atmosphere reflected broader anger after Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona on Sunday confirmed the title race was over. (apnews.com) Barcelona secured a second straight league title on May 10 by beating Real Madrid 2-0 at home. AP reported that the Bernabéu reaction against Oviedo followed that loss and a season in which Madrid failed to collect silverware. That sequence matters to the crowd response: the boos came less than a week after the title-deciding Clásico and in Madrid’s penultimate home game of the league campaign. (apnews.com) ### What exactly happened during the match? The match at the Bernabéu ended 2-0 for Real Madrid. The club’s official report said Gonzalo scored just before halftime and Bellingham added the second in the 80th minute. Mbappé entered in the second half after missing recent games with a thigh problem, and several match reports said he was whistled as he came on. (sports.yahoo.com) Oviedo had already been relegated before the trip to Madrid, according to AP’s match report. That detail sharpened the contrast between the routine result and the mood in the stadium: Madrid beat a relegated side at home, but the dominant storyline remained the supporters’ anger. (realmadrid.com) ### What did Mbappé say about the reaction? Mbappé addressed the whistles after the game. AP quoted him saying, “I’ve being booed before in my career. It’s part of it.” A separate syndicated report carried fuller comments from the France captain, who said angry supporters were expressing themselves and that players should not take it personally. (apnews.com) The 41-goal tally attached to Mbappé this season has not insulated him from criticism. AP said he remains Madrid’s top scorer, but the crowd response showed that individual output has not prevented unrest during a season that ended without the league title and amid wider discontent around the club. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Was Mbappé the only target for supporters? Florentino Pérez also faced visible criticism inside the stadium. The Athletic reported that two banners criticizing the president were removed by security, and Marca reported that Pérez appeared to exchange words with supporters near his box. Those incidents unfolded alongside the boos for Mbappé and Vinícius. (apnews.com) The crowd reaction therefore extended beyond one player. AP described the jeers as part of the supporters making their discontent known, while other reports from the night showed protests aimed at the club hierarchy as well. ### What comes next for Real Madrid? La Liga had already been decided before Thursday’s kickoff, with Barcelona confirmed as champions on May 10. (nytimes.com) Real Madrid’s official website now lists Sevilla as the team’s next league opponent, while the Bernabéu was hosting its penultimate home game of the season against Oviedo. Mbappé remains a central figure for the run-in, even as the club heads into the summer after a season that supporters greeted with open frustration on May 14. (apnews.com) (sports.yahoo.com)