File photo of Kylian Mbappe© AFP
Real Madrid have, for the moment at least, given their support to star forward Kylian Mbappe since the Swedish media reported that he is being investigated for an alleged rape during a visit to Stockholm. The reigning European champions, who have not commented publicly on the reports, do not appear to be overly concerned about the reports about the player who joined this summer from Paris Saint-Germain. An internal club source, who spoke to AFP on condition of their identity not being revealed, described the accusations as "the biggest fake in the history of sport".
On Tuesday, Real were accused of deleting 25-year-old Mbappe from photos it published in a promotional campaign with its jersey manufacturer Adidas.
Real told journalists the reason was simply because Mbappe's boot sponsor is Adidas's bitter rivals Nike.
That explanation was questioned on social media though, with many people pointing out that several players in the photos are also under contract with Nike, like Mbappe's French international teammate Eduardo Camavinga.
In the midst of the media storm -- and on the day his lawyer spoke to AFP and other French media to insist her client was "shocked" to be linked to a rape investigation -- Mbappe trained with his teammates in Madrid on Tuesday.
This time, the club had no hesitation in posting photos and videos of the Frenchman, who should be available for selection on Saturday for the visit of Celta Vigo to the Bernabeu as he is said to have recovered from discomfort in his left thigh that kept him out of France's squad for Nations League games.
With a rare few free days on his hands, Mbappe chose to go to Stockholm with a group of friends, arriving on October 9 and departing on October 11.
Reports in several Swedish media say they visited a restaurant and a nightclub. Once the group had left Sweden, a woman went to police to allege she was the victim of a rape.
On Monday, after Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet became the first media outlet to reveal that a rape probe had been opened, Mbappe slammed the report as "fake news" on his social media and alleged there was a link between the accusations and his financial dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain. A hearing into the case was held on Tuesday.
"It's becoming so predictable, the day before the hearing as if by chance," Mbappe said on X, formerly Twitter.
A Swedish prosecutor has only confirmed that an investigation has been opened, without naming Mbappe.
His lawyer Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard told AFP on Tuesday the 2018 World Cup winner was "at ease" because "he has done nothing wrong".
Canu-Bernard said Mbappe had "asked my office not to leave things as they are because it is impossible to allow yourself to be slandered and defamed in this way".
"This is why we are going to file a complaint for libel."