Mbappe's arrival branded a fiasco
Mbappe has been accused of "filling the Real Madrid dressing room with selfishness" by former Arsenal and Chelsea star Petit. The stinging criticism comes in the wake of the Spanish side's dramatic Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, which has sparked a period of intense soul-searching at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The former midfielder, now working as a pundit for French broadcaster RMC, did not hold back in his assessment of his fellow countryman. Petit suggested that the World Cup winner's presence has shifted the dynamic within the squad for the worse, stating: "It's not solely Mbappe's fault. But his arrival filled the Real Madrid dressing room with selfishness. It's a fiasco."
Contrast with Paris Saint-Germain
Petit pointed towards Mbappe’s former employers, Paris Saint-Germain, as an example of a team that has improved by removing the individualistic culture he associates with the forward. Since Mbappe’s departure in 2024, the Parisian side have looked more cohesive, a fact that the pundit was quick to highlight during his analysis of Madrid's current struggles.
"The timing really works against him," Petit noted when comparing the two clubs. "Since PSG have been playing like a team, they have been phenomenal. They are all united, like the fingers of a hand." This isn't the first time Petit has expressed such views, having previously labelled the striker an "attention-seeker" and questioning his suitability for the France captaincy.
Camavinga red card adds to the chaos
While Mbappe took the brunt of the cultural criticism, Petit also identified Eduardo Camavinga as a primary culprit for the tactical collapse against Bayern. The versatile 23-year-old was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for foul play and delaying the restart, an incident that Petit believes effectively ended Madrid's hopes of a comeback at the Allianz Arena.
"If anyone needs to be blamed, it's Camavinga," Petit added. "His foul was catastrophic. At that point in the game (the 86th minute), the red card was very harsh, but unfortunately the referee was simply applying the rules. Real always hides behind the referee's performance." The aggregate defeat stands at 6-4, leaving the reigning Spanish giants out of European competition.
Arbeloa fumes at officiating decisions
Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa was visibly furious after the match, focusing his anger on referee Slavko Vincic rather than individual player performances. The scenes following the final whistle were chaotic, with Arda Guler receiving a red card for his protests while other senior players, including Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rudiger surrounded the officiating team.
Arbeloa expressed his frustration clearly to the press, stating, "Obviously, you can't send off a player for something like that. The referee didn't even know he had a card, and he ruined a very exciting, very evenly matched tie, a real battle, and that's how the game ended. I think with the red card, everything was over. It is really unbelievable that you sent off a player for this action; it's not possible in a match like that to be sent off for this. We feel really, really upset, angry and disappointed, and I think all of this is a little bit unfair."