Kylian Mbapp\u00e9<\/a> did not want to get involved in the refereeing controversy surrounding Real Madrid<\/a>\u2019s defeat to Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid<\/a>. The French forward admitted there were mistakes during the derby, but avoided blaming the referee and instead focused on how the team must respond after the 2-1 loss at the Metropolitano.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Real Madrid suffered their second defeat of the season and ended Matchday 7 of LaLiga<\/a> six points behind Barcelona<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The controversy centered on two first-half incidents that prompted complaints from Los Blancos: a challenge by Cristian Romero on Jude Bellingham<\/strong> and another by Kang-in Lee on Federico Valverde<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Jos\u00e9 Mourinho strongly criticized the refereeing and even showed images of both incidents during his press conference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mbapp\u00e9, however, chose to stay out of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The French attacker said he has his own opinion about what happened, but did not want to make it public.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been a player who talks much about referees. I\u2019m not going to start now. I have my own opinion, but I\u2019ll keep it to myself,\u201d<\/strong> he explained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mbapp\u00e9 acknowledged that there were refereeing mistakes, although he refused to make them the focus of the analysis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cReferees are human and they make mistakes \u2014 and those were mistakes \u2014 but I don\u2019t want to get into that,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A different stance from the one Mourinho took after the match, when the Portuguese coach called for two possible red cards during the first half.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n For Mbapp\u00e9, the priority should be Real Madrid\u2019s response after losing the derby.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a step backward. It\u2019s very tough; we wanted to win and we knew what kind of match it was going to be,\u201d<\/strong> he admitted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Frenchman, however, highlighted his teammates\u2019 attitude and urged people not to lose sight of the fact that an important part of the season still remains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe team gave everything and we move forward, because there is still a long way to go this season and we have to stay on the right track,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And he left a clear task:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe have to work and do more. We have to give our maximum.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n After the derby, the forward will join the French national team, which is beginning a new era with Zinedine Zidane<\/strong> as head coach.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The change marks the end of Didier Deschamps\u2019 cycle and the beginning of a particularly meaningful period for Mbapp\u00e9, who has known Zidane since long before becoming one of the biggest stars in world football.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The new national team coach was in contact with Mbapp\u00e9 during his teenage years, when the forward had a trial at Real Madrid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHe was the first person who picked me up and took me to Real Madrid, to the training ground, when I was 13 or 14 years old; that was a long time ago. And now he is my national team coach. It feels like something out of a movie, but it\u2019s incredible,\u201d<\/strong> he recalled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mbapp\u00e9 is thus entering a new chapter with France, with the Nations League as one of the first major challenges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe are in a new era with France. We have two years to prepare for the European Championship,\u201d<\/strong> he concluded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\u201cReferees are human and they make mistakes\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a step backward\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Now, Mbapp\u00e9 switches focus to France<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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