Kylian Mbappe‘s debut season at Real Madrid has not gone as planned. His transfer from Paris Saint-Germain was highly anticipated, but Madristas are growing frustrated at his lackluster performances.
Rumors from Mbappe’s inner circle suggest that the player is not to blame. Carlo Ancelotti‘s playing style and strategies are the culprits, they say. According to Mundo Deportivo, the French striker is simply “not happy” with the Italian boss.
The veracity of Mbappe’s blame game is in question; the press is always trying to sew doubt in the world’s biggest team. Nonetheless, it’s one to take notice of. You can see it in the team’s frustrations on the pitch.
Benzema: “Mbappe is not a 9”
Kylian Mbappe’s discontent rises from feeling out of position and disconnected from the team. After all, former Real Madrid legend and former French counterpart Karim Benzema said on Monday, “Mbappe is not a 9.”
“But the problem is that on the left wing there’s Vinicius, the best player in the world in that position right now,” the BENZ added.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner is spot on. The Frenchman remains constrained. Instead of leveraging his speed and dribbling ability on the wing, Mbappe is forced to adapt to a central position, which Ronaldo capitalized on with age.
The friction is apparent: Mbappe drops back too much in an attempt to counter, which disrupts the team’s rhythm. During El Clasico, the player was caught offside eight times against Flick’s offside trap system.
Mbappe or Ancelotti’s tactics: Who’s to blame for Real Madrid’s struggles?
However, former French striker Thierry Henry remains optimistic that Ancelotti can fix it. How so? As Luis Enrique lambasted Mbappe last season, he needs to be more selfless and play more defense. Exhibit A: MJ.
Will Mbappe play more defense? Hopefully, he’s aware that the club has won 15 Champions League titles, with moderate signings making a considerable impact. Also, Vini Junior isn’t going to make way for the team’s latest luxury signing, which seemingly disrupted the team’s identity.
Sure, Rudiger and Militao have made plenty of defensive errors this season. Jude Bellingham is in a slump. Toni Kroos is enjoying the sunset. Mbappe is also mentally scarred, recently accused of rape, and dropped by Deschamps’s France team.
But this is Real Madrid, where Galacticos elevate each other and play as a team. Talent is not enough.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said Mbappe may be “down but not out.” As players and fans try to dissect the team’s unwinning ways, it’s all setting up nicely for a “cohesive” comeback. Underperformance is a team issue.
Conversely, drop one and sign Haaland before they do.
