Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé is once again making headlines in the Spanish press following his recent performances. With just days to go before the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Atlético Madrid, pundits on the show La Tribu on Radio Marca have sounded the alarm.
Mbappé has just played two consecutive matches—against Real Betis (in La Liga) and Atlético Madrid (in the Champions League)—but left a poor impression. Having been the spearhead of Madrid’s attack since November, he has been uncharacteristically quiet, even unrecognisable, in the team’s last two games. While Real Madrid managed to scrape through against the Colchoneros in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu (2-1), the return fixture next Wednesday promises to be far more challenging. Ahead of this crucial match, several pundits on the popular show La Tribu on Radio Marca shared their thoughts on the French forward.
Ramón Álvarez de Mon claimed that Mbappé appeared tense, as if he had lost some of his spark after his dental surgery. Meanwhile, Fernando Kallás argued that there was no cause for alarm and that the No.9’s underwhelming display was due to the absences of Ceballos and Bellingham. Also speaking on the show, which was extensively relayed by Real France, José Manuel Oliván pointed out that Mbappé was not the only one who struggled last Tuesday, as Vinícius Júnior also found it difficult to pose a real attacking threat.
“In France, he never had such highs and lows”
Among the various opinions expressed, Raúl Fuentes was the most critical. The La Tribu pundit is convinced that Kylian Mbappé is subjected to excessive criticism. He also warned that a painful elimination for Real Madrid at the Civitas Metropolitano next Wednesday could have serious consequences for the former PSG star. “We overreact to every poor performance from Mbappé. If he has a bad game, we blow it out of proportion twice as much, simply because he is Mbappé,” Fuentes remarked.
According to Fuentes, the ex-PSG star must bounce back next Tuesday and secure Real Madrid’s qualification—otherwise, he risks facing a barrage of criticism. “The player must be in disbelief, but that is also the reality of playing for Real Madrid. In France, he never had such highs and lows in form. This isn’t the exuberant Mbappé we saw with the French national team or PSG, that’s clear. But I still believe that Mbappé is the least of Madrid’s problems. He will wake up. If Real Madrid are eliminated on Wednesday, Mbappé will be the one to take the blame,” he added.
One thing is certain: the message is clear. Madrid’s new No.9 will need to take responsibility next week and deliver a world-class performance—just as he did in the play-off against Manchester City a few days ago.
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