France coach Didier Deschamps said Monday that a report stating captain Kylian Mbappe is being investigated for rape in Sweden “is not good news for the national team.”
“Everyone is free to write what they want, but there is a negative atmosphere” around the French team, Deschamps told reporters following the 2-1 win in Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.
His comments came in reaction to investigations into France captain Mbappe, who was allowed to miss the team’s games this month to improve his fitness.
That was already causing controversy in the lead-up to last Thursday’s victory against Israel, before a Swedish newspaper reported on Monday that the Real Madrid striker was being probed for rape following a visit to Stockholm.
After Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet stated that an alleged rape had been reported to police but did not specify who was accused, Expressen said that Mbappe, 25, was the suspect. The player has called the report “fake news.”.
“Be careful when you pick things up,” Deschamps warned.
“You had better take a bit of a step back before publishing anything and everything, but these things happen so often,” he said, appearing to cast doubt on the report.
“There are things that are not difficult to verify, but if you credit any old thing…
“In any case, I am not going to talk to him about it. He is big enough to know how to communicate.”
