Kylian Mbappé's transfer for Real Madrid was one of the most anticipated and talked about bets in world soccer. However, despite being considered one of the best players on the planet, his performance at the white team is being heavily criticized. Juanma Rodríguez, in El Chiringuito, stated that Mbappé is not meeting expectations and is a strategic error for Real Madrid.
Mbappé's Performance: a Huge Disappointment
Since his arrival at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has been a highly anticipated player. The club signed him with the intention of making him the star that would lead the team to new successes.
However, his performance so far has been far below expectations. In the last match, Rodríguez had no qualms about describing the Frenchman as "a shadow" of the player who once promised to make a difference. According to Rodríguez, Mbappé is not up to par and is harming the team: "You can't play with 10," criticizing his lack of involvement and effort.
The journalist stressed that, unlike Brahim, Camavinga and Courtois, Mbappé “doesn't defend, doesn't make a difference and doesn't contribute to the team”. These words reflect a very negative perception of the player's attitude and performance, which has caused a strong debate.
A questionable strategic transfer
The transfer of Mbappé was a strategic move by Florentino Pérez, who was looking to strengthen Real Madrid with one of the biggest stars in soccer. However, time is starting to pass and expectations are not being met.
Juanma Rodríguez pointed out that, although Ancelotti is trying to recover the Frenchman, Madrid cannot continue playing with one less man. The journalist questioned how much longer they should wait for Mbappé, pointing out that other players would already be on the bench.
Rodríguez said that “Madrid is in a labyrinth from which it cannot escape” due to the complex situation with Mbappé’s status. The dilemma is clear: if Mbappé is taken off the field, he is singled out and the club’s strategy is called into question, but if he is kept, the team suffers.
Mbappé vs. Vinícius: a mistake in comparison?
One of Rodríguez's harshest criticisms was the comparison between Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. The journalist stressed that expectations about the French striker have been exaggerated and recalled that it was said that Mbappé was better than Vinícius.
"That's a joke," said Rodriguez, as there's currently a "huge gap" between the two players. While Vinícius continues to show his quality and performance in every game, Mbappé is still unable to make the difference that everyone expected.