Kylian Mbappe became an unexpected protagonist in the latest El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, despite not setting foot on the pitch. The French striker was omitted from Real Madrid’s squad for the clash against their archrivals at Spotify Camp Nou, following a week filled with controversy over his decisions and off-field behavior.
As Real Madrid experienced one of their tensest moments of the season—amid player altercations, mutual accusations in the dressing room, and a peculiar press conference from coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who expressed concern about internal leaks to the media—Mbappe was reportedly preoccupied with matters away from the team atmosphere. His absence, attributed by the club to muscular discomfort in his left leg, failed to convince many Real Madrid fans, with some believing he lacked the desire to feature in the decisive match that saw Barcelona officially clinch the La Liga title.
According to posts on his social media accounts, Mbappe watched the game from home, a scene that sparked debate among the Madrid faithful.
In Germany, Mbappe’s name also surfaced, but in a mocking manner. During Stuttgart’s 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the 33rd round of the Bundesliga, striker Deniz Undav celebrated his third goal by mimicking a popular internet meme depicting Mbappe as “the leader.” Undav explained after the match: “The players call me ‘Leader Deniz,’ like the Mbappe memes. We agreed two weeks ago that I’d do this celebration when I score, and today was the time.” He clarified that the celebration was not spontaneous but an inside joke among the team.
Thus, Mbappe found himself at the center of European football without actively participating, as his indirect appearance in Germany coincided with Real Madrid’s downfall at Camp Nou—a night that entered Spanish football history after Barcelona sealed the title in front of their eternal rivals.
