Barcelona's president Joan Laporta has lambasted Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe for declining to form a guard of honour after the Spanish Super Cup final. La Blaugrana ran out 3-2 winners in Jeddah to defend the title they won last season, claiming the first piece of silverware of 2026.
Joan Laporta slams Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe prevented his teammates from forming a guard of honour to show their respect for the champions, waving them off as Barcelona were to be presented with their medals and trophy. This action made Laporta angry, who talked with RAC1 regarding the behaviour of the Frenchman, pointing out his need to be gracious in loss.
“I was surprised by what Mbappe did. In both victory and defeat, you have to be generous and respectful. This is sport, and you should behave normally. I think we were generous in victory and showed respect to the opposing team, which is why I can’t understand it.
“There was already a different feeling since the league match, and the players were a bit fired up. That’s understandable. I didn’t actually see Mbappe’s gesture live, but I understand that they were going through a very tough moment. They must have been really hurt and reacted that way. I get the feeling that they were upset after realising our superiority. Deep down, they probably already sensed that we had more chances of winning, but they confirmed it out on the field. And that’s hard to take, because you see the reality of things", he said (via Barca Universal).
Kylian Mbappe's failed outing vs Barcelona
Kylian Mbappe returned from a knee injury to play in the Super Cup final against Barcelona. The 27-year-old was only good enough to start on the bench and was thrown on to salvage the game in the 76th minute with the scoreline already 3-2.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick praised the French forward as the world's best striker before the game, but he could not create an impact in Jeddah. he managed just eight touches in 14 minutes, including one touch in the opposition penalty area.