Kylian Mbappe makes surprise visit to his struggling Ligue 2 club after sacking his

Kylian Mbappe has insisted he understands the anger of supporters as the Real Madrid star arrived to meet fans and players of his struggling Ligue 2 club SM Caen.

Mbappe arrived in Caen on Thursday, less than 24 hours after his stunning hat-trick helped Real Madrid to knock Manchester City out of the Champions League.

The Real Madrid star may have expected a different welcome in Caen, with the French side currently facing the prospect of a first relegation to the third tier in 41 years.

Caen, typically one of the division’s top clubs and a former Ligue 1 stalwart, are currently bottom of the table and are 11 points from safety.

Recently they unfurled a banner warning him ‘SMC is not your toy’ after he sacked club icon Nicolas Seube as manager.

Last month, fans invaded the pitch to confront players and staff directly after suffering another defeat.

It’s important for me to be here. I want to show my support, to be in contact with everyone and for them to know that they count on me, and especially in the situation we’re in,’ Mbappe said.

‘If I’m here it’s because I believe in the project. I wanted to have come earlier but it was impossible. I told them that I was with them and that they had to believe. And I saw a group that is not resigned and wants to change the results.

‘I think that with the quality of the team and the support of the fans, things can change and I hope that this is a turning point. In football, we have seen that nothing is impossible.

‘There is a lack of confidence, but I think that a good result can change the team’s spiral. I understand the frustration of the people, as I have told them personally, because I have not been through this before.

‘It is normal to be angry, but the people support, fill the stadium and our mission is to give our best.’

Footage shared by Caen showed Mbappe greeting supporters of the club, with the Real Madrid star signing autographs.

Caen are a proud club near France’s northern coast with the highest attendance figures in the French second tier, with an average of 15,000 supporters turning up to the Stade Michel-d’Ornano.

Players such as N’Golo Kante, William Gallas, and Thomas Lemar have donned the shirt down the years. 

Caen scout David Lasry revealed in a BBC documentary that the club had come close to signing Mbappe when the forward was just 13.

Mbappe’s father had reportedly confirmed they had agreed for their son to join the club, who are based in Normandy.

The deal, however, collapsed when Caen were relegated from Ligue 1 to the second tier in 2012.

Mbappe would instead join Monaco’s academy, with the forward later breaking into the first-team set-up before joining PSG.