Real Madrid’s preparation for the latest edition of El Clasico has been anything but smooth. With Barcelona looming, tensions have spilled over behind the scenes, most notably involving Kylian Mbappe. A training-ground row has dominated headlines, putting the French superstar’s focus under the microscope. At the same time, a viral “mbappe out petition” has exploded online, with reports claiming as many as 30 million people are demanding his removal from the starting XI. It’s a strange twist for a player of his caliber, and it adds an unwelcome layer of noise ahead of a fixture that rarely forgives distraction.
The details of the training-ground incident remain murky, but the sheer scale of the petition suggests fan frustration is boiling over. Whether it’s a coordinated campaign or simply a pressure release valve, the signal is clear: a portion of the fanbase believes Mbappe’s recent performances don’t match the hype. Still, Madridistas know all too well that El Clasico can flip a narrative in 90 minutes. The bigger headache for Carlo Ancelotti, however, might be in defense.
Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy is suddenly facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Sources indicate he could be out for up to five months, a devastating blow for a player who has been a mainstay when fit. The injury diagnosis has hit hard, and there is even chatter that the Frenchman is considering retirement. Losing a defender of Mendy’s quality reshapes the entire backline plan, especially against a Barcelona attack that thrives on exploiting wide areas. That the news broke just before El Clasico only deepens the sense of crisis.
Mendy’s absence means Ancelotti must reshuffle his defense without one of his most reliable one-on-one stoppers. The timing is brutal. Combine that with the Mbappe drama, and suddenly Real Madrid’s mental fortitude becomes the central question. For a club that prides itself on big-game composure, the internal tremors are unusually loud.
Whether the petition is a genuine movement or a fleeting online storm, it has lodged itself into the pre-match narrative. Mbappe will have to answer on the pitch, and Ferland Mendy’s name will echo through the medical room rather than the tunnel. For Real Madrid, El Clasico is now as much about managing chaos as it is about beating their eternal rivals.