Several players on Real Madrid's roster have received criticism this season, but without a doubt, one of those who has had the most complicated season is Kylian Mbappe.

His arrival at the club was long-awaited, and he was so warmly welcomed from the start that now it feels anticlimactic to see the same fans want him out, so much so that they are gathering signatures for his retirement.

If we look at the whole picture, Mbappe has indeed contributed more than he has harmed the club. But not everyone thinks the same, as they consider that the 27-year-old does not take his commitment to the roster seriously enough.

Indeed, Real Madrid is not at its best moment, and it has felt that way for a long time now, so the fans are more prone to feeling frustrated and pointing out culprits when something slightly different happens, but not everything should fall on him.

In light of the strong criticism surrounding the French international, former soccer player and EL PAIS columnist Jorge Valdano comes to his defense, arguing that Mbappe is among the least guilty parties in the situation the club is currently facing.

"Since ethics are already made of rubber, we adapt them to circumstances. There is an ethics for winners and another for losers. Mbappe became a unit of measurement last week. Responsible for Madrid's defeats (for being there) and for PSG's triumphs (for not being there)," Valdano writes ironically.

Valdano also talks about the public condemnation imposed on the Frenchman after the decisions he has made (traveling to Italy with his partner), because for the fans, if they are suffering because of the team's situation, why doesn't Mbappe take it seriously?

Given this, in Valdano's words, people categorized him as a player with great individual talent but disconnected from the collective.

"If he delivers, we are willing to forgive him everything. But if he does not deliver, the reproach is clear: how can he want everything and not give enough?"

Clearly, Real Madrid's problem is not just Mbappe's attitude. One cannot attribute all the club's misfortunes to a single player, not when even the coach himself, Alvaro Arbeloa, has come to his defense, clarifying that people in general do not see what he contributes beyond sensationalist news.

Continuing with the ironic tone, Valdano ends the reflection by saying that this has always been the case, a formula that the world of soccer always applies: looking for simple culprits for complex crises.

"At Madrid, the problem is not the always difficult transition, nor the poor design of the roster, nor the coaches' lack of authority, nor the unbearable pressure the players suffer, nor if they fight each other. The problem is Mbappe, who, by the way, never tires of scoring goals."

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