Liverpool’s brutal defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday left Carlos Ancelotti’s side – and Kylian Mbappe in particular – injured.
At the club, fans and media agreed that with Vinicius out injured, this was a day for Mbappe to prove his worth to his new club after a mixed start to the season.
But he didn’t. Quite the contrary, he missed a penalty that would have put his team back in the game.
His woes were summed up at the final whistle when, just seconds after he lost possession for the 15th time, Thibaut Courtois made a fine save to prevent Luis Diaz from making it 3 -0. The Frenchman stood with his hands on his hips for a moment before becoming the first player to reach the dressing room, crestfallen, being consoled on the way by team-mate Jesus Vallejo and assistant coach Davide Ancelotti.
lose the fight with bradley
Before announcing his move to Real Madrid, fans and the media debated how Mbappe would fit into Real Madrid. ”. Ranked second in the world by the Golden Globe Awards judges.
The Brazilian started the season as a winger but Ancelotti changed their position at Leganes on Sunday in a bid to improve the Frenchman’s fortunes.
With Vinicius Junior injured on the trip to Anfield, the area where Mbappe has had the greatest impact has been cleared. Opposite him was Connor Bradley, who had just played his fourth Champions League game and his first as a starter.
Although Bradley received help from his teammates, Mbappe continued to fail in one-on-one matches with him and against other opponents.
He lost his first two games within the opening four minutes, with the home fans cheering and whistling at him throughout. The first mistake also brought an opportunity for Liverpool, with Raul Asensio clearing the ball.
One of the most important images came in the 32nd minute when he challenged Bradley to a game, thinking he would win easily, but he lost. Anfield celebrated the goal like a goal.
Mbappe ended up with only one shot on target (a penalty saved) and another blocked, successfully dribbling three of six times (the most, with Brahim Diaz), and had a pass success rate of 75% (lowest among outfielders), created zero chances, conceded 15 possessions and recovered 3 possessions. His inconsistent performance is pictured here CompetitorPlayer dashboard below.
missed penalty
Mbappe got a chance to change the script in the second half.
Alexis Mike Allister’s goal left us 1-0 down eight minutes later when substitutes Dani Ceballos and Lucas Vazquez combined for a foul on Vázquez. Penalty kick. If there is no Vinicius Jr., there is no doubt that Mbappe will take the penalty kick.
During the VAR check, Antonio Rudiger stayed close to the ball and his teammates to ensure no one disturbed him. But when Kylian Mbappe stepped up to face Cowichan Kelleher, the Liverpool academy goalkeeper had the upper hand.
Kylian Mbappé was denied everything on the spot! 😳
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fr45wUF2Cj
— Football on TNT Sports Network (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024
Mbappe responded by covering his head with his hands, but then his expression became slightly less intense. In short, he thought he might have another chance, waiting to see if a penalty would be re-awarded if the goalkeeper crossed the line, only to be disappointed again.
A third of his goals this season – three out of nine – have come from the penalty spot. But this wasn’t his night.
Is there a problem with Mbappe’s attitude?
Body language can only tell us so much, but Mbappe’s gestures haven’t made a good impression in a while.
He looked unsure of himself as he headed to the locker room at halftime. Minutes later, before returning to the pitch, cameras captured him separated from a group of teammates, seemingly distant, with Jude Bellingham leading the way, offering guidance and encouragement.
Cody Gakpo’s goal made it 2-0 with 14 minutes remaining and Mbappe’s frustration was evident as he protested to the referee about a possible offside.
Just before that, there was a moment that showed his incompetence, as Modric conceded a ball from a short corner and lost the fight to regain possession.
Many fans also criticized his attitude after the game and did not go to the away stands to greet him. He also did not appear in front of the media or in the mixed zone, represented by Modric, Ceballos and Bellingham.
Ancelotti was asked about the Frenchman’s mood.
“Maybe he lacks a little confidence,” the Italian said. “When you have moments when things don’t go your way, the idea you have to have is to simply play and sometimes you make things more complicated. But the moment is gone. You can’t miss a penalty point. He is judged by the players who play the ball.
Support to overcome difficult times
Mbappe is struggling and his numbers reflect that. He has nine goals and two assists in 18 games, averaging a goal every 136.5 minutes.
How can he improve his situation?
Maybe the first step is the inner support he’s always felt.
Club representatives spoke privately to the media, highlighting his high standards in training.
Ancelotti and his teammates also expressed their support in public.
“Kylian has been criticized exaggeratedly, but his contribution has been very positive. I saw him in training and it was scary,” Bellingham said at a news conference on Tuesday.
“Missing the penalty was not the reason we lost,” the Englishman said on Wednesday.
“Work hard, keep fighting, keep moving forward because this moment will pass,” Ancelotti said. “(Situations like this) have happened to me many times in my career, especially when strikers struggle to score goals. . There is a good remedy: everyone must support him.
Modric, in captain mode, also had words of support in the mixed zone: “This is his first year and it’s never easy – in Madrid the first years are complicated. He has our confidence and knows how Get out of trouble: Don’t lose faith and keep working day in and day out.
Vazquez assured that his teammates will “always support him, he is a world-class player and he will prove it. The team is always there to help him”.
Ceballos nodded back. “He didn’t score the goals he wanted but we know better than anyone how hard he works,” he explained. “It’s difficult to settle at a club like Madrid, but Kylian will do it. I’m sure he will.
(Above: Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
