Marcel Desailly responds to criticism surrounding Kylian Mbappe

French football legend Marcel Desailly has responded sharply to the criticism surrounding his compatriot Kylian Mbappe. Amidst discussions regarding the forward's performance for Real Madrid and his personal life, the 1998 World Cup champion has come to the star player's defense. This is reported by Goal.com .

According to reports, Jose Mourinho is expected to take charge of the "Royal Club" this coming summer. In Desailly's view, the new coach should build the tactical system specifically around Mbappe, without demanding active defensive participation from him. "Mbappe has never been a problem for a coach. Mourinho would confirm this: 'I am happy with the 40-42 goals Mbappe scores a year; I just need to adapt the team to him,'" the former defender emphasized.

The fact that Real Madrid has been without major trophies for the last two seasons, coinciding with Mbappe's 2024 transfer, has intensified the criticism. Additionally, the player's trip to Italy and his recovery process from injury have been widely discussed in the media. However, Desailly does not agree with the idea that players' personal lives should be under constant scrutiny.

"Fans think a player belongs only to the club, but that is an exaggeration. What I do in my free time is my own business. I don't consider Mbappe a problem for Mourinho; it is simply a matter of tactical adaptation," Desailly added. He believes that a grand team like Real Madrid should be able to compensate for one player who scores 40 goals a season not tracking back to defend.

Now, the main focus will be on how Jose Mourinho integrates stars like Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe into a single system. Madrid fans hope this appointment will put an end to the team's two-year trophy drought.