Real Madrid Backs Kylian Mbappe Amid Rape Investigation in Sweden

Real Madrid have, for now, expressed their support for star forward Kylian Mbappe, following reports from Swedish media that he is being investigated for an alleged rape during a trip to Stockholm.

Though the club has not officially commented on the matter, they do not appear overly concerned about the allegations involving the player, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain this summer. An internal club source, speaking anonymously to AFP, dismissed the accusations, calling them “the biggest fake in the history of sport.”

On Tuesday, Real Madrid faced accusations of removing Mbappe from promotional photos with their jersey sponsor, Adidas. The club clarified that the reason for this was Mbappe’s sponsorship deal with Nike, a direct competitor of Adidas. However, this explanation was met with skepticism on social media, as some pointed out that other players featured in the campaign, like Eduardo Camavinga, also have Nike contracts.

Despite the media frenzy and after his lawyer denied any wrongdoing, Mbappe continued to train with his teammates in Madrid on Tuesday. The club did not hesitate to post photos and videos of the French player during training. He is expected to be available for selection for Saturday’s match against Celta Vigo, having recovered from a thigh issue that kept him out of France’s Nations League squad.

Mbappe traveled to Stockholm with friends from October 9 to October 11. Reports from Swedish media suggest they visited a restaurant and nightclub. After the group left Sweden, a woman filed a police report, accusing Mbappe of rape.

Following these reports, Mbappe took to social media on Monday, calling the allegations “fake news” and suggesting a link between the timing of the accusations and his ongoing financial dispute with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain. He commented, “It’s becoming so predictable, the day before the hearing as if by chance,” on X (formerly Twitter).

While a Swedish prosecutor confirmed that an investigation has been launched, they did not name Mbappe. His lawyer, Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, told AFP on Tuesday that Mbappe was “at ease” because “he has done nothing wrong.” She added that Mbappe had instructed her office to take legal action, saying, “It is impossible to allow yourself to be slandered and defamed in this way.” As a result, they plan to file a defamation lawsuit.