Footage has emerged of Kylian Mbappe in training with Real Madrid ahead of his return after the international break, amid Swedish reports the star is facing a rape allegation.
Mbappé was accused of rape and sexual harassment in a Swedish hotel on Monday, according to local media.
The France international had spread ‘fake news’ last week about an alleged rape in the hotel where he was staying with friends.
But now Swedish newspaper Expressen claims it is Mbappe who is being investigated by police after allegations were made against the Real Madrid star.
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week and stayed at the Bank Hotel in the city centre.
Kylian Mbappe is seen in Real Madrid training ahead of his return to action
The Real Madrid forward was spotted working out in the gym at the Spanish giants’ training base
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week and stayed at the Bank Hotel in the city center
It is alleged that the alleged rape took place on Thursday. Mbappe had visited the Chez Jolie restaurant earlier that evening, before heading to V nightclub with his entourage and eventually back to his hotel in a black van.
Mbappe was not called up for France’s Nations League matches during the international break to continue his recovery from a recent hamstring injury.
His absence from the games against Israel and Belgium has caused controversy in France as he was fit enough to play for Real Madrid ahead of the international break.
Mbappé played 71 minutes for Real Madrid in the 2-0 win against Villarreal the weekend before, but indicated that he now needs more rest as part of his recovery from the hamstring injury.
The 25-year-old was defended by alternate captain Aurelien Tchouameni during a debate in France over his absence.
Footage showed Mbappe back training with Real Madrid on Monday, working in the gym at the club’s training centre.
The forward is expected to return to action when the Spanish giants take on Celta Vigo in La Liga.
France coach Didier Deschamps said a report claiming captain Mbappe was being investigated for rape in Sweden is ‘not a good thing for the national team’.
“Everyone is free to write whatever he or she wants, but there is a negative atmosphere” around the France team, Deschamps told reporters after his team’s 2-1 win over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League last night.
After Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that an alleged rape had been reported but did not say who was accused, another publication, Expressen, said 25-year-old Mbappe was the suspect.
Kylian Mbappé has dismissed the allegations against him as fake news
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reports that police are investigating a rape at the central Stockholm Bank Hotel (photo) where Mbappé was staying, which allegedly took place on Thursday evening.
But Mbappé shared a newspaper article about the alleged rape on X and wrote: ‘Fake News!’
“Be careful when you pick things up,” Deschamps warned.
“It’s better to take a step back before publishing anything, but these things happen so often,” he said, appearing to cast doubt on the report.
Deschamps added: ‘There are things that are not difficult to verify, but if you attribute something old…
‘I’m certainly not going to talk to him about it. It’s big enough to communicate.’
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week and stayed at the Bank Hotel in the city centre.
On Thursday, the Real Madrid star visited the Chez Jolie restaurant before heading to the V nightclub and eventually returning to his hotel with his entourage in a black van.
Aftonbladet reported that police were investigating a rape at the hotel in central Stockholm, which allegedly took place on Thursday evening.
But Mbappe shared a newspaper article about the alleged rape on X, writing: ‘Fake News! It becomes so predictable, right before the hearing as if it were a coincidence,” referring to a hearing as part of his battle against his former club PSG over £46 million in unpaid wages and bonuses that will take place today.
Mbappe’s entourage said in a statement to AFP: ‘Today a new defamatory rumor begins to spread across the internet from the Swedish media Aftonbladet.
“These allegations are completely false and irresponsible, and their spread is unacceptable.
‘To put an end to this methodical destruction of (the) image (of Kylian Mbappe), all necessary legal steps will be taken to restore the truth and prosecute any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappé suffers repeatedly,” the statement said.
On Thursday, the Real Madrid star visited the Chez Jolie restaurant (pictured left after leaving the restaurant with his friends), before heading to the V nightclub and eventually returning to his hotel with his entourage in a black van.
A source close to Paris Saint-Germain told AFP it would “ignore” Mbappe’s claim that there was a link between the report in Sweden and his dispute with the club.
According to Aftonbladet, investigators and a forensic unit were at the scene of the crime on Monday.
The newspaper reported that the alarm was raised about the alleged rape when the woman “sought care” at a local hospital.
Mbappé left Sweden’s Bromma Airport on a private jet on Friday.
The prosecutor in charge of the rape investigation declined to comment on the case, telling local media: “I will not say anything about this.”
Stockholm police issued a similar statement to MailOnline through spokesperson Carina Skagerlind: “The police can neither confirm nor deny such a case.”
According to Aftonbladet, no suspects have yet been named in the case.
