Is this the beginning of the end for Kylian Mbappe at PSG? French transfer market expert, Santi Auna, certainly thinks so, revealing that the Frenchman is ready to join Real Madrid in the summer. A few days back, however, Mbappe chose to maintain obscurity about his future, sending out cryptic messages. Auna’s update has indeed given breathing space to the Madrid faithful. But, the forward’s recent admission in an interview is bound to raise some eyebrows.

Reports and rumors also have it that English clubs like Liverpool also want the Frenchman. Though he is closer than ever to the Bernabeu, Mbappe has now surprised many by lauding Madrid’s arch rivals, FC Barcelona.

Kylian Mbappe respects his potential arch rivals

Shortly before word got out that Kylian Mbappe has allegedly agreed to move to Madrid, he appeared in an interview with Telefoot. At one point, a conversation about Europe’s best clubs took center stage. The Frenchman, surprisingly, held the rivalling FC Barcelona in great regard. “Barcelona is also a good club,” said Mbappe.

Besides, this is not the first time the 2018 World Champion has spoken of his influences. Mbappe is known to have grown up rooting for Italy’s AC Milan. So it is obvious that he will respect a club of Barcelona’s stature. But a potential Madrid icon, speaking highly of the Catalonia club is arguably a hard to swallow pill for fans, who are ever conversant with the Madrid-Barcelona rivalry. And for Real Madrid fans, this may very well be blasphemy.

Why a Madrid-bound player praising Barcelona is shocking?

Among the myriad of matches between rivalling clubs, only one match is termed ‘the classic’ or El Clasico. The match commands such attention because this rivalry transcends soccer. It is rooted in the histories of the conflicting provinces of Barcelona and Madrid.

To enhance this rivalry and its image, Real Madrid players are not allowed to publicly acknowledge Barcelona or its star players. During his Real Madrid days, James Rodriguez was not allowed to praise erstwhile Barca star Lionel Messi.

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Barcelona is no outlier. The club has famously were keen to ensure that their former player Kevin Prince Boateng kept a tight lip. For, Boateng was a Real Madrid fan. Similarly, on this note, Kylian Mbappe’s otherwise normal gesture of lauding Barcelona will come out as a shocker for at least some, if not all, Madrid fans.

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