'You need class to play for Real Madrid' - Spanish media react to Kylian Mbappe staying at PSG

Paul Macdonald

Updated: 22 May 2022 17:29 CDT
4 min read

Kylian Mbappe, PSG, 2021/22 — © ProShots

Real Madrid and most of the Spanish media are still reeling from the news that Kylian Mbappe has chosen to extend his contract at PSG.

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In one of the longest-running transfer sagas in modern memory, it was generally accepted that Mbappe was heading to Real Madrid and they certainly thought so.

And the Madrid-based media, who have been reporting on the story for the best part of two years, and less than enthused at the news that Mbappe has signed a three-year contract extension with PSG.

'You need class to play for Madrid'

The biggest sports daily, Marca, kept things simple. Their headline reads: 'You need a lot of class to play for Madrid', coupled with a huge image of Mbappe holding his 2025 jersey. Madrid players, such as Fede Valverde, made veiled tweets to this effect throughout the day.

#LaPortada 🗞 'Hace falta mucha clase para jugar en el Madrid' pic.twitter.com/YWmQgPst4R
— MARCA (@marca) May 21, 2022

Fellow Madrid sympathisers AS also weren't holding back on Mbappe, with the header saying 'he loses it', before adding in the subtext that Mbappe 'prefers the money of PSG to the legend of Madrid'.

✨ ¡Buenas noches! Esta es nuestra #PortadAS de hoy, domingo 22 de mayo

📰 Él se lo pierde pic.twitter.com/9echDzmtSf
— Diario AS (@diarioas) May 21, 2022

'Mbappe is a traitor'

And of course we have the craziest TV show around, El Chiringuito, which has had a countdown clock running for most of the season showing when Mbappe's contract expired.

And their show on Sunday night was a manic expression of agony, like a husband jilted at the altar by his bride. They read out the text exchange between president Florentino Perez and Mbappe, before declaring the latter 'not a man' and 'a traitor'.

💥"MBAPPE, NO eres un HOMBRE"💥

😳"Eres un TRAIDOR. NO tienes PALABRA"😳

🔥 @jfelixdiaz, más caliente que nunca en #ChiringuitoMbappé pic.twitter.com/2K0gVHkhq0
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 21, 2022

And the Barcelona-based press were keen not to rub it in. After all, they've got problems of their own, and so Mundo Deportivo simply ran, 'Stays'. He sure did.