Catalan Media Slams Deschamps for Favoritism: Mbappe Recovered but Not Called Up, Kounde Continues to Get Excessive Playing Time Yet is Selected

According to Spain’s Sport newspaper, the special treatment given to Mbappe by the French team has sparked dissatisfaction from Barcelona.

This international break, France coach Deschamps decided to let Mbappe rest despite him having already recovered. In fact, this forward played more than 30 minutes in a Champions League match just a few days ago, indicating that his physical condition is no longer an issue. Meanwhile, Kounde, who has accumulated over 1000 minutes of playing time, continues to be called up by the French team.

Deschamps explained: “I spoke with Kylian and considering he has a game on Saturday (against Villarreal) and the situation within 48 hours is still unclear, his injury is not serious but requires proper care to fully recover. Therefore, I am not willing to take that risk.”

However, Sport points out that Deschamps’ decision seems somewhat strange. Mbappe was originally expected to be out for 2 to 3 weeks due to a hamstring injury, yet Real Madrid coach Ancelotti took him to France and had him come off the bench for more than 30 minutes in the Champions League match against Lille. Considering Ancelotti’s experience as a coach and the depth of Real Madrid’s squad, if Mbappe was not in good shape, it would have been impossible for him to play for so long. Therefore, Deschamps’ claim that Mbappe needs more time to recover and is not in good form seems unreliable. Regardless, Barcelona is clearly unhappy that Deschamps did not give Kounde, who is equally fatigued, a break.

During this international break, Mbappe will get ample rest, while Kounde is expected to continue adding to his playing record. He will travel with the French team to Budapest and Brussels for matches, returning to Barcelona on the 16th, followed by a series of important La Liga matches (including El Clasico) and Champions League fixtures.