The SM Caen of Kylian Mbappé relegated in National 1

Kylian Mbappé's week is quite bitter. Eliminated Wednesday from the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and released on injury after an ankle sprain, the Real Madrid striker has just experienced a new disillusionment this Friday. Because the SM Caen, a club of which he has been the majority shareholder since last summer, has just bowed against Martigues, at the Michel d'Ornano stadium this Friday. About twentieth defeat this season, synonymous with official relegation in National 1.

“Since I arrived, we have been back to the wall. For the moment, we have not been able to straighten the bar. We have to be light in the heads. It's up to us to show a positive and effective face ”however, explained Michel Der Zakarian before the meeting. However, Malherbe will not have existed and fell heavily against a competitor to maintain, being quickly led by two goals in less than 20 minutes, before collapsing completely in the second period, validating their descent on a terrible 3-0 cashed and accompanied by several banners against management.

The SM Caen will have had a horrible season

But the season will have especially been very complicated for the Normans. By buying the Caen club via Capital Coalition in the summer of 2024, Kylian Mbappé and his investment fund were supposed to propel the SM Caen in a new dimension, both sporting and media. However, very quickly, tensions emerged internally, between requirements deemed disproportionate and more complicated integration than expected in a team accustomed to less media profiles. Which had been denounced publicly by the locker room.

Over the season, Mbappé and his entourage crystallized the criticisms in Caen, considered too invasive and authoritarian in the management of the club. After the dismissal of Nicolas Seube at the end of 2024, Bruno Baltazar had only remained 51 days and could not avoid a terrible series of defeats to the Normans, leaving the club good last of Ligue 2. Arrived on February 18, Michel Der Zakarian could not save the ship and therefore condemns Malherbe to a sad descent, with 21 points taken in 31 days. A first for 41 years.