Former French World Cup champion star criticizes Mbappe after Real Madrid eliminated in Champions League

Emmanuel Petit criticized Kylian Mbappe for "bringing selfishness into Real Madrid's dressing room" after the Spanish Royal club was eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

The former midfielder of Arsenal and Chelsea, now a commentator for RMC, made harsh remarks following Real's defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Coach Alvaro Arbeloa's team lost 4-6 on aggregate over two legs, with the away match at Allianz Arena seeing them concede two late goals after Eduardo Camavinga's red card.

This also marks Real's fourth consecutive disappointing result since Mbappe returned to the starting lineup earlier this month following a minor knee injury. During the French forward's absence, Real had defeated Manchester City in both legs of the Champions League round of 16 and also overcame city rivals Atlético Madrid in La Liga.

"It's not entirely Mbappe's fault," Petit said. "But his presence has filled Real Madrid's dressing room with individualism. It's a disaster."

Petit also pointed out that reigning European champions Paris Saint‑Germain have been performing increasingly well since Mbappe left the club in 2024. "The timing truly works against him. Since PSG started playing as a collective, they have become extraordinary. Everyone is united like fingers on the same hand," the former French star commented about his compatriot.

This is not the first time Petit has attacked Mbappé. Previously, he accused the striker of seeking attention and stated he was unfit to captain the French national team after Les Bleus lost to the Spain national football team in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinals.

Nevertheless, Petit acknowledged that Camavinga's red card was the decisive turning point leading to Real's defeat against Bayern. The 23-year-old midfielder received his second yellow after a foul, then delayed the match by fouling Harry Kane and walking away with the ball.

"If anyone needs criticism, it should be Camavinga. His foul was disastrous," Petit added. He also considered referee Slavko Vincic's decision somewhat strict, but the official simply applied the rules correctly.

Real's disappointment after elimination quickly turned into fury. Many players confronted Vincic as he headed toward the tunnel. Arda Güler, who scored two beautiful goals in the match, was particularly angry and had to be restrained by coaching staff when shouting at the referee. Vincic later issued a direct red card to the 21-year-old player. Antonio Rüdiger and Vinícius Júnior were also among those reacting fiercely.

Coach Arbeloa accused the referee of "ruining the match" after the game. He told Spanish media: "Clearly, a player cannot be sent off for such a situation. The referee even failed to control the card issuance and spoiled a balanced, dramatic matchup." On TNT Sport, Arbeloa continued expressing his displeasure: "After the red card, everything was over. It's unbelievable that a player gets expelled for such behavior in a match of this caliber. We are truly sad, angry, and disappointed. It all feels somewhat unfair."