In general, Real Madrid fans are fed up. This fan base is one that is notoriously hard to please and sets such a high standard that even their greatest ever player, Cristiano Ronaldo, would roundly receive boos from the Santiago Bernabeu - and those could occur when he was actually playing very well for the team.
But Real Madrid fans know that the players who truly belong at the club will respond to that kind of pressure and be at their best, never faulting the fans or casting dispersions at them simply wanting to get the most out of their stars at a club that has the record for the most Champions League victories.
There are many people who have drawn the ire of the Madridistas this season, including such luminaries as president Florentino Perez, but, lately, no player has been placed under the microscope more than Kylian Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe is now the bad guy
Perez's darling, Mbappe joined Real Madrid when they were the kings of Europe, and now the club that he once played for and made it seem like he was carrying, PSG, have surpassed Madrid without him while the Merengues have been left in the trophyless shadows.
And though there are still some Perez sycophants and Mbappe worshippers who believe the basic box score more than their own eyes, even those who had blamed two time Champions League winner Vinicius Junior are starting to come around to the idea of Mbappe being the common denominator here.
Now, Mbappe is not the only reason for Madrid's struggles and regression, but the turning up of the boos towards the Frenchman, combined with the speculation that he is only injured to give himself a rest before the World Cup, are all clearly born out of a growing sense of frustration that Real Madrid have been sold a false bill of goods in the form of the French superstar.
Mbappe has become the villain, not the savior or the second coming of Cristiano Ronaldo that he was positioned to be at his presentation in 2024. Real Madrid are not a team any longer, and even the midfield stars like Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde are suffering in the shadow of a player whose work rate mirrors that of Cristiano in Saudi Arabia or Lionel Messi in MLS.
The Mbappe situation is not untenable yet, but it is trending in that direction, with Madridistas now booing the forward louder and less enamored with the goals or stats in light of the team's continued struggles. And though Mbappe's injury softens him from the spotlight and perhaps gives him a respite from vitriol, it may only increase it if, like against Manchester City, Real Madrid, especially Vinicius Jr., do indeed perform better without him.
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