José Mourinho, rumoured to be the next Real Madrid coach, a deal that could be made as early as next week, when the Portuguese league ends, has expressed his opinion about the recent quarrel between coach Álvaro Arbeloa and player Kylian Mbappé: the Frenchman lamented he was "the fourth striker" for Arbeloa behind Vini, Gonzalo, and Mastantuono, and Arbeloa disagreed and reminded he is still the coach and the one who makes decisions.
Mourinho, in a press conference before the match between Benfica and Estoril, said he was saddened. "He gave his all for me as a player, and when he became Real Madrid's coach... there's always this connection between me and Real Madrid, and when Álvaro is the coach, my connection and my desire for things to go well increase even more", said Mourinho, who declined to talk about Mbappé, focusing on what he was feeling for his friend, whom he coached in his previous stint at the team between 2011 and 2013.
"I want things to go well for him. But that's the life of a coach. I joke a lot with my former players who then become coaches and I tell them: 'Wait a couple of years and you'll see how many gray hairs you'll have.' Being a player is always easier than being the manager. But he won the game yesterday and I'm sure he is happy today."
Mourinho, who most likely will become Real Madrid's coach later in the summer, sided with Arbeloa. This doesn't look good for the French striker, as the arrival of the new coach won't sweep under the rug this fight. In fact, if Mourinho arrives, it's possible that Arbeloa will remain in Mourinho's coaching staff, so it remains to be seen if Mbappé will make peace with Arbeloa in the last two matches of the season...