Footage has emerged of Kylian Mbappe in training with Real Madrid ahead of his return after the international break, amid Swedish reports the star faces a rape allegation.
Mbappe has been accused of rape and sexual harassment at a Swedish hotel, according to local media reports on Monday.
The French international had blasted ‘fake news’ about an alleged rape at the hotel where he was staying with friends last week.
But now Swedish newspaper Expressen claims it is Mbappe who is being investigated by police after allegations were made against the Real Madrid star.
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week, staying at the Bank Hotel in the city centre.
Kylian Mbappe has been seen back in Real Madrid training ahead of his return to action
The Real Madrid forward was seen working in the gym at the Spanish giant’s training base
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week, staying at the Bank Hotel in the city centre
It is claimed the alleged rape took place on Thursday. Mbappe had earlier that night visited the Chez Jolie restaurant, before heading to the V nightclub and finally back to his hotel in a black van with his entourage.
Mbappe had not been called up for France’s Nations League matches during the international break to continue his recovery from a recent hamstring injury.
His absence from the matches against Israel and Belgium has caused controversy in France having been fit enough to feature for Real Madrid ahead of the international break.
Mbappe played for Real Madrid for 71 minutes in a 2-0 win against Villarreal the previous weekend, but indicated that he would now need more rest as part of his recovery from the hamstring injury.
The 25-year-old was defended by stand-in captain Aurelien Tchouameni amid a debate in France over his absence.
Footage has since shown Mbappe being back in Real Madrid training on Monday, working in the gym at the club’s training centre.
The forward is expected to return to action when the Spanish giants face Celta Vigo in LaLiga.
France coach Didier Deschamps declared a report claiming captain Mbappe was being investigated for rape in Sweden ‘is not a good thing for the national team’.
‘Everyone is free to write what they want but there is a negative atmosphere’ around the French team, Deschamps told reporters following his team’s 2-1 win over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League last night.
After Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that an alleged rape had been reported to police but did not say who was accused, another publication, Expressen, said 25-year-old Mbappe was the suspect.
Kylian Mbappe has dismissed the allegations against him as fake news
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reports that police are investigating a rape at the central Stockholm Bank Hotel (pictured) where Mbappe was staying, which allegedly happened Thursday night
But Mbappe shared a newspaper article on the alleged rape on X and wrote: ‘Fake News!’
‘Be careful when you pick things up,’ Deschamps warned.
‘You had better take a bit of a step back before publishing anything and everything, but these things happen so often,’ he said, appearing to cast doubt on the report.
Deschamps added: ‘There are things that are not difficult to verify, but if you credit any old thing…
‘In any case I am not going to talk to him about it. He is big enough to know how to communicate.’
The footballer was visiting Sweden with friends from Wednesday to Friday last week, staying at the Bank Hotel in the city centre.
On Thursday, the Real Madrid star visited the Chez Jolie restaurant, before heading to the V nightclub and finally back to his hotel in a black van with his entourage.
Aftonbladet reported that police were investigating a rape at the central Stockholm hotel, which allegedly happened Thursday night.
But Mbappe shared a newspaper article on the alleged rape on X and wrote: ‘Fake News! It’s becoming so predictable, just before the hearing as if by chance,’ referring to a hearing as part of his fight against his former club PSG over £46million in unpaid wages and bonuses that is set to take place today.
Mbappe’s entourage said in a statement sent to AFP: ‘Today, a new slanderous rumour is starting to spread across the web from the Swedish media Aftonbladet.
‘These accusations are completely false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable.
‘In order to put an end to this methodical destruction of (the) image (of Kylian Mbappe), all necessary legal actions will be taken to re-establish the truth and pursue any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappe is suffering repeatedly,’ the statement added.
On Thursday, the Real Madrid star visited the Chez Jolie restaurant (pictured left after leaving the restaurant with his friends), before heading to the V nightclub and finally back to his hotel in a black van with his entourage
A source close to Paris Saint-Germain told AFP it would ‘ignore’ Mbappe’s claim that there was a link between the report in Sweden and his dispute with the club.
Investigators and a forensic unit were at the alleged crime scene on Monday, according to Aftonbladet.
The newspaper reported that the alarm over the alleged rape was raised when the woman ‘sought care’ at a local hospital.
Mbappe left Sweden’s Bromma airport in a private jet on Friday.
The prosecutor in charge of the rape investigation declined to comment on the case, telling local media: ‘I will not say anything about this.’
Stockholm police issued a similar statement to MailOnline via spokesperson Carina Skagerlind: ‘The police can neither confirm or deny such a case.’
According to Aftonbladet, no suspects have been named in the case yet.