Mbappe dismisses Swedish rape reports as 'fake news'

PARIS - Kylian Mbappe is being investigated for rape by Swedish police, according to media reports in Sweden following a visit by the Real Madrid star to Stockholm, which the player denounced as "fake news".

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Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen and public broadcaster SVT reported that the 25-year-old Mbappe was the target of the investigation.

Expressen on Oct 14 identified Mbappe as the suspect, citing anonymous sources, while Aftonbladet and SVT said the next day they had also obtained information confirming the player was implicated.

Expressen said Mbappe was "reasonably suspected" of rape and sexual assault, the lower of two grades of suspicion in the Swedish legal system.

Mbappe's entourage, when contacted by AFP, said it had no knowledge of a legal complaint made against him.

The French international was not selected for his country's latest round of Nations League matches to work on his fitness, so he visited the Swedish capital with a group of people on Oct 10.

They reportedly dined at a restaurant before going to a nightclub. Mbappe and the group left Sweden the next day.