Real Madrid failed to work their magic at Anfield this Wednesday. Facing Liverpool in the fifth matchday of the Champions League group stage, Carlo Ancelotti’s side fell 2-0. One name stands out as the scapegoat for this defeat.
Without Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes or Éder Militão, Real Madrid were left completely exposed. Severely weakened by numerous injuries, Ancelotti’s team needed to deliver a monumental performance to secure a positive result against Liverpool, who remain unbeaten in this season’s competition. While fans were hoping for a standout match from Arda Güler, Brahim Díaz, and especially Kylian Mbappé, things proved to be very challenging for Madrid’s attackers.
Kylian Mbappé’s disastrous match
By the end of the first half, the name on everyone’s lips as the biggest disappointment was Kylian Mbappé. Already far too naive on an action that almost cost the team dearly in the fourth minute, the French forward, deployed on the left flank he particularly enjoys, showed absolutely nothing. Effectively marked by young Conor Bradley, who started in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold (recently back from injury), KM9 ended the first half on a sour note.
In the second half, nothing improved for the former PSG star. Lost on the pitch, Kylian Mbappé never managed to trouble Liverpool’s defence. Even in build-up play, he squandered countless opportunities, which greatly hindered Madrid’s attacking efforts. As if he had offended fate itself, the 25-year-old forward missed a golden chance to bring Real Madrid level with Liverpool, failing to convert a penalty in the 60th minute.
Too casual when taking the shot, KM9 was denied by Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper, who became the first to save a Mbappé penalty in the Champions League. Before the match ended, French journalist Coralie Salle summed up what all observers were thinking about the France captain’s performance: “Kylian Mbappé’s match is abominable,” she initially wrote on her X account before delivering a scathing critique.
“So many misplaced passes, lost balls, missed dribbles. He doesn’t exploit the space… He makes no difference on the left wing (compared to Vinícius’s activity, it’s painful),” she concluded. There’s no denying it; concerns are beginning to mount about the player who was supposed to elevate Real Madrid to another level upon his arrival.
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