- 11 hours ago
‘What wrong with you, Kylian?’ – Mbappe sends message after latest Real Madrid disaster
Robin Bairner
- 5 Dec 2024 07:54 GMT
- 3 min read
Kylian Mbappe’s integration at Real Madrid continued to stall on Wednesday as he missed another penalty in a 2-1 loss to in-form Athletic Club in another blow to Los Blancos’ LaLiga hopes.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are now four points behind Barcelona in the race for the title, having suffered two defeats in the league this season. Real Madrid have also struggled in the Champions League, piling pressure onto the coach but also Mbappe, whose arrival has coincided with a downturn in the fortunes of the club.
The former PSG man has been used principally as a centre-forward since moving to Spain, and that trend continued in Bilbao as he was paired in attack with Rodrygo rather than playing a outright on the wing.
STATS
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé
F (C)
Real Madrid
He turned in a performance that did not win over the Spanish media.
“What’s wrong with you, Kylian?” El Chiringuito asked.
Mundo Deportivo proclaims: “What a disaster!”
Marca, meanwhile, has run with the headline: “Still not up to standard”.
Ancelotti, though, has come under fire from the Madrid press. Marca asks: “The easiest thing is to target Kylian Mbappe and not tackle the real problem, which is in the team's plan. Or rather in the absence of a plan. What are Madrid playing at? Three and a half months of competition have passed and no one knows.”
Mbappe reacts
Mbappe reacted to his penalty miss on social media, posting on his Instagram stories a message to Real Madrid fans and a promise to improve:
“Bad result. A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it’s the best time to change the situation and show who I am.”
Mbappe is currently expected to lead Madrid offensively due to the absence of Vinicius Junior due to injury, with the next outing a clash against Girona on Saturday.
