MADRID – Kylian Mbappe was greeted with a chorus of boos and whistles from Real Madrid’s own fans as he returned from a hamstring injury during his side’s 2-0 LaLiga home win over Real Oviedo on Thursday.
The French forward missed Sunday’s 2-0 El Clasico defeat by Barcelona that saw their bitter rivals wrap up the league title with three games to spare, and his introduction in the 69th minute as a substitute for goal-scorer Gonzalo Garcia prompted widespread jeers from the Madrid fans.
Gonzalo had given the home side the lead in the 44th minute with a well-taken goal after bottom side Oviedo, whose are already relegated to the second tier, coughed the ball up cheaply on their right flank.
Mbappe, who earlier on Thursday was named in the France squad for next month’s World Cup, seemed undeterred by the boos, firing off a number of shots towards goal during his cameo appearance.
However, it was fellow substitute Jude Bellingham who netted Madrid’s second in the 80th minute to leave Madrid second in the table on 80 points, 11 behind Barcelona and 11 ahead of third-placed Villareal with two games left to play.
