Kylian Mbappe Slammed by Barcelona President Over Spanish Super Cup Conduct

The Frenchman appeared to reject a famous competition tradition.

Kylian Mbappé’s actions have been widely questioned. / Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit out at Kylian Mbappé for failing to be “generous and respectful” in the aftermath of Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final.

Mbappé came off the bench for the final stages of the 3–2 defeat to Barcelona, having battled a knee injury which kept him out of the semifinal and restricted his involvement in the showpiece event.

The Frenchman was powerless to save his side from another heartbreaking defeat and may have actually made his biggest impact after the final whistle. It is a tradition after the Super Cup final for both sides to give a guard of honor to the other, and Barcelona duly obliged as Madrid walked up to collect their runners-up medals.

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Rather than return the favor, however, the Madrid squad quickly left the pitch, with Mbappé seen visibly encouraging his teammates to walk away and snub the guard of honor.

His conduct has attracted plenty of disappointment from fans and rivals alike, and Barcelona president Joan Laporta gleefully took the opportunity to discuss the incident after the game.

“I'm surprised by what he did,” Laporta told RAC1.

“In victory and defeat, you have to be generous and respectful. This is sport, and you have to behave normally. I think that in our victory, we were generous and respectful of the opposing team. That’s why I can’t understand it.”

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Laporta: Real Madrid Couldn’t Handle Barcelona Being Favorites

Joan Laporta (center) joined in with Barcelona’s celebrations. / Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Laporta offered plenty of theories for Madrid’s perceived bad attitude after the game, including a suggestion that Xabi Alonso’s side lost their composure after being billed as the underdogs.

“They imagined we had a better chance of winning this game, but they saw it for themselves on the pitch, and that, in the end, is tough,” Laporta said. “You see what happens...”

The Barcelona president also noted that the relationship between the two clubs, which has always been famously bitter, reached a new low earlier this season after a stormy Clásico back in October, which ended in victory for Madrid and an on-field brawl.

“There was a difference in attitude since the league match, and the players were a bit fired up,” he continued. “It’s understandable.

“To be honest, I didn’t see Mbappé’s outburst on the pitch, but I imagine it must have been a very difficult time. They must have been really upset, and that’s why they reacted that way.”

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