French forward Kylian Mbappé is set to face two or three intense weeks with Real Madrid. Now the sole star in attack following Vinícius Júnior’s injury, the former PSG player cannot afford to make any mistakes.
Scoring last Sunday in La Liga against Leganés, Kylian Mbappé took his goal tally to 9 (in 17 matches) since joining Real Madrid last August. While this record is not bad for the player born in Bondy on 20 December 1998, expectations remain far from being met. Despite his desire to perform well, the man wearing the number 9 shirt for Real has yet to impress with his style of play. Whether at the forefront of the attack or on the left side — Vinícius Júnior’s favoured position — KM9 has not yet delivered a polished performance that has won unanimous praise.
Vini injured, Mbappé must step up
After the match against Leganés, which brought Real Madrid closer to FC Barcelona at the top of the table, Vinícius Júnior was declared out for a few weeks. Suffering from a thigh injury (likely due to the congested calendar), the Brazilian star will miss the clash against Liverpool this Wednesday at Anfield. Expected to be one of the key players in Carlo Ancelotti’s side, capable of wreaking havoc in the Reds’ defence, Vini leaves his teammates at the worst possible moment.
In this situation, Kylian Mbappé is now compelled to rise to the occasion. Overshadowed by missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or since the start of the season, the forward, who will turn 26 in a few days, must carry Real Madrid through to the end of the year. To silence critics, such as French journalist Nabil Djellit, who tweeted last Sunday that Mbappé should donate part of his salary to Vinícius for providing him with scoring opportunities since the start of the season, Mbappé must prove he is the man for the job.
Mbappé alone in charge
Now certain to play on his favoured left side due to the absences of Vini and Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappé has no room for error. In Wednesday’s match against Liverpool, a poor performance would be a significant blow for the France captain. With the intense media scrutiny in both Spain and France, KM9 must make a strong impression and lead the Madrid side, just as he did during his time at PSG.
Having already been unimpressive on the left side against Leganés last weekend, the son of Fayza Lamari and Wilfried Mbappé cannot afford to deliver another disappointing display in the upcoming matches. Known for shining when least expected, the 2018 World Cup champion has another golden opportunity to prove himself under the colours of his beloved club.
The risk, in the event of a lacklustre performance during Vini’s absence, is that the French player may no longer benefit from mitigating factors to justify his mixed start with Real, as confirmed by Foot Mercato on Tuesday. There is no room to cast doubt on his ability to establish himself in the greatest club in the world.
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