Jules Koundé is a good friend of Kylian Mbappé. They have spent many years sharing a locker room in the French national team. Now they have reunited and exchanged impressions about LaLiga.
Koundé has revealed during the France training camp, prior to the match against Croatia, the impression that Barça has made on his friend in his first year with Real Madrid.
The Barça Mbappé Knew
Mbappé was not in 2017 at Emery's PSG that defeated Luis Enrique's Barça in Paris by 4-0. Then lost at Camp Nou by 6-1.
But he was present at the 1-4 at Camp Nou, with the stands empty due to the pandemic. That day he scored a hat trick against Messi's Barça, which was already on a downward curve in 2021.
He was also there last year in the 2-3 in Paris and the 1-4 in Montjuïc. In the return match, Araújo's expulsion left Barça with ten men for an hour when they were leading 1-0. PSG took advantage to score four goals, with a brace from Mbappé, one of them a penalty.
When Mbappé signed for Real Madrid, he was very optimistic. He already saw himself lifting his first Champions League and winning his first Ballon d'Or. There was no doubt about the white victory in LaLiga.
The Barça He Has Discovered as a Madridist
But Mbappé has been hugely surprised by Barça. He has confessed this to Koundé. "This wasn't what I expected from Barcelona," he told him.
Mbappé finds it very difficult to win LaLiga in his first year with Real Madrid. He also won't find it easy to win the Pichichi. Lewandowski, at 36 years old, is clearly ahead of him despite penalties allowing Mbappé to pad his stats.
The Ballon d'Or is also complicated. Raphinha, Pedri, and even Lamine Yamal are making it very difficult for him. In the Champions League he also sees Barça as very strong.
But what has impressed Mbappé the most are the two direct confrontations with Flick's FC Barcelona. Nothing like his last experiences with PSG.
He Expected a Barça Surrendered to Real Madrid's Power
The 0-4 in LaLiga and the 5-2 in the Supercopa have marked him. Especially the LaLiga clásico, where he was caught offside 9 times.
Mbappé is astonished by the young talent that Barça has brought out from its academy. Lamine Yamal already gave him the disappointment of leaving France out of the Eurocup. There was little he could do about that.
What seemed like it could be a one-day wonder has been confirmed match after match. And he is only 17 years old. Mbappé is amazed by Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Olmo, Raphinha, Cubarsí...
This wasn't the Barça he expected, surrendered and prostrated before the imperial power of Real Madrid. Neither individually nor collectively is Mbappé where he expected to be at this point.
Mbappé has received a dose of realism in his first months in Spain. This wasn't what he had been told in Madrid about Barça.