Deschamps backs Kylian Mbappé, says not to expect 11 kilometres per match | OneFootball

Didier Deschamps has defended Kylian Mbappé amid debate over his defensive workload, saying nobody should expect him to log 11 kilometres per match for club or country.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Laval Sports Journalism Festival, in an opening address on media relations, he responded to a suggestion Mbappé was the only France player not to run. Separately, El Periódico reported players challenged Álvaro Arbeloa after Sunday’s chaotic win over Rayo Vallecano, delaying his press conference by more than an hour.

Deschamps said Mbappé is not selfish and that his value lies in the quality of his sprints rather than total distance. Assistant Guy Stéphan added the forward’s bursts are higher in intensity, and that he covers less ground than many team-mates for Real Madrid and France.

Arbeloa had recently argued Mbappé and Vinícius should not be asked to defend, prioritising freshness for attack. The stance contrasted with predecessor Xabi Alonso, whose standoff with the dressing room, including Vinícius, Valverde and Bellingham, ended with his dismissal on 12 January.

On the same day, fitness chief Antonio Pintus began a mini pre-season at Valdebebas for the first team ahead of Champions League and La Liga fixtures. He has reintroduced hypoxia-mask work, and Mbappé trained with a mask on Wednesday.

The report also said players view Arbeloa as an interim, weakening his authority, and that two days off followed despite his warning the squad needed more training.

Source: Superdeporte