France’s Mbappe ‘accused of rape’
France coach Didier Deschamps says a report claiming captain Kylian Mbappe was being investigated for rape in Sweden “is not a good thing for the national team”.
Deschamps explains: “Everyone is free to write what they want but there is a negative atmosphere.”
His comments came in response to questions about Mbappe, the France skipper who was allowed to sit out the team’s games this month in order to work on his fitness.
That was already a source of controversy, before a newspaper in Sweden on Monday claimed that the Real Madrid striker was being investigated for rape following a visit to Stockholm.
The player has denounced the report as “fake news”.
And Deschamps warns: “Be careful when you pick things up.
“You had better take a bit of a step back before publishing anything and everything, but these things happen so often…”
A prosecutor investigating the accusation tells AFP: “A probe is under way into a crime that was reported on October 10 in the centre of Stockholm”.
Swedish police refused to give any further details.