Teammates defend Mbappé after nightclub reports

Wesley Fofana has come out in defence of France captain Kylian Mbappé after reports emerged that the Real Madrid forward had been in a nightclub in Sweden on the night of his team’s UEFA Nations League win over Israel.

Mbappé had already been criticised in some corners for skipping Les Bleus’ games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for Real Madrid even before Swedish publication Aftonbladet said the former Paris Saint-Germain player had been in a nightclub in Stockholm as his compatriots romped to a 4-1 win on Thursday.

The forward picked up a muscle injury in September but made an earlier-than-scheduled return to the pitch in the Champions League on Oct. 2 as Madrid suffered a shock defeat to Lille, and started their subsequent LaLiga game against Villarreal after being omitted from Didier Deschamps’ squad over a lack of preparation.

“People can do what they want with their free time,” Chelsea defender Fofana told a news conference Saturday. “It isn’t something we [the France squad] have talked about today, I hadn’t heard about this story.

“He does what he wants; he is a great guy and a great professional. Are we making too much of it? I don’t know. He’s the best French player, so it’s normal that it is very publicised.

“I think that from time to time [the media] go a little too far. You should ask Kylian Mbappé for more information.”

Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi also addressed the reports as he spoke with media.

“We have no doubts about Kylian. … There is no question about his passion [for his country],” he said. “He loves his country; he will continue to help us. We must stop talking about it too much.

“He has days off; he can do what he wants.”

France sit second in Nations League group A2. They play Belgium in Brussels on Monday.