Real Madrid fans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with their squad. During the fallout that led to Xabi Alonso's dismissal, fans were already cynical about the egoes in the dressing room, but now hearing more and more about how many players dislike each other and feeling like they can't believe anything they hear in the media has absolutely warped everybody's brains.
The latest nadir for Real Madrid in this second straight trophyless season was the battle in the locker room between two of the stars of the team, midfielders Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni. It is entirely unclear what exactly happened, but all that is known is neither Fede nor Tchou covered themselves in glory and had issues for months - and now Fede has a concussion for his efforts with the possibility of even losing his captaincy, which would have been unthinkable a year ago.
It is hard for Real Madrid fans not to feel like the common denominator in all this drama and in the unraveling of Real Madrid from the best team in the world to the biggest disappointment is the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, especially since the club he left is no longer mired in controversy themselves but now headed for potential back to back Champions League titles - basically, the level Real were at before Mbappe made it.
Kylian Mbappe is one of the only winners
One of the most perplexing and lasting images of the alteraction between Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni at the Valdebebas wasn't actually of either of the two midfielders but of Mbappe himself, who rolled the windows down and seemed to let out a gigantic laugh. Madridistas and pundits were enraged and maybe blowing the laugh out of proprotion, yet, at the same time, it is fair to say that this was not a good luck - nor did it seem to make any sense.
But looking at just how the fallout is playing out, maybe Mbappe was laughing in a moment of prescience that this duel in the locker room and the subsequent media firestorm would be perfect for him. Now, instead of talking about Mbappe, the actual nature of his injury, and how the team has struggled with him while PSG flourish without him, everyone is talking about the other players in the dressing room. Who is the mole? Should Fede be the captain? Who is to blame? Is Alvaro Arbeloa worse than we thought? What are the other factions in the locker room?
All of these conversations distract from Mbappe, and the answers to them could favor the Frenchman. Few in the media are suspecting Mbappe as the mole leaking information, few are blaming him for any of the issues between Tchouameni and Fede, and now that Fede is painted as the aggressor despite being the one sent to the hospital, the captaincy debate could then favor Mbappe as a candidate to be the winner if Real break the seniority rule. Mbappe will laugh his way all the way to the bank, because as those in PSG accused him of being before, he may really just care about his own goals and reputation than anything to do with the club winning or humiliating itself.
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