French coach Didier Deschamps breaks silence on Kylian Mbappe r@pe allegation
France coach Didier Deschamps has responded to reports alleging that captain Kylian Mbappe is under investigation for rape in Sweden. Speaking after France’s 2-1 victory over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League, Deschamps addressed the media, commenting on the rumors surrounding Mbappe, who had been excused from the team’s recent matches to focus on his fitness.
“Everyone is free to write what they want, but there’s a negative atmosphere around the French team,” Deschamps said, reacting to the report. He cautioned journalists, stating, “Be careful when you pick things up. You should take a step back before publishing anything and everything, but these things happen so often.”
The controversy arose after Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported an alleged rape but did not name the accused, while another outlet, Expressen, identified the 25-year-old Mbappe as the suspect. Deschamps appeared to question the credibility of the report, adding, “There are things that are not difficult to verify, but if you credit any old thing…”
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Deschamps made it clear that he would not be discussing the matter directly with Mbappe, saying, “In any case, I am not going to talk to him about it. He is big enough to know how to communicate.”
Mbappe was reportedly in Sweden last week, visiting with friends from Wednesday to Friday and staying at the Bank Hotel in central Stockholm.
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.
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.
