‘I wish I had four strikers’ – Real Madrid manager publicly denies Mbappe’s shocking claim
‘I wish I had four strikers’ – Real Madrid manager publicly denies Mbappe’s shocking claim Alvaro Arbeloa attempted to calm the growing noise surrounding Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid defeated Real Oviedo 2-0, but his post-match comments only added more fuel to the situation. Much of the attention after the game centred around Mbappe’s explosive interview , where the French superstar claimed he had been told he was currently ‘the fourth-choice striker’ . Arbeloa, however, immediately denied making such a statement when questioned by journalists.
“I wish I had four strikers. I don’t know what to say. I don’t have four strikers, and I didn’t say that.
“You must have misunderstood me; I’m not quite sure what to say. ” Addressing a potential problem The Real Madrid coach made it clear that he still sees Mbappe as an important player despite leaving him on the bench against Oviedo. Arbeloa insisted the decision was purely based on fitness concerns and squad management ahead of the next fixture.
Arbeloa addressed Mbappe’s reaction. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) “If I don’t pick him, he can’t play. I make the decisions; I’m the manager.
I had a chat with him earlier, and I don’t know how he might have interpreted it. “He wasn’t supposed to start today because it’s not a do-or-die situation; we’ve got a match on Sunday and he’ll definitely be the first-choice striker. “I can understand why he’s not happy, but it’s a decision based on the circumstances.