Real Madrid’s crisis deepens, and Kylian Mbappe is now at the centre of the storm. The French superstar, brought in with huge expectations, is being questioned like never before. Some inside the club now see him as a burden rather than a solution.
The numbers tell a worrying story. Since joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, Mbappe has scored 12 goals in 24 appearances. For most players, that would be a solid return. But for a player of his calibre, and given the fee and wages involved, it is not enough. More importantly, his performances in big games have been below par.
Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on November 27, 2024 was a low point. Mbappe missed a penalty that could have brought Madrid back into the game. It was his second missed spot-kick in a week, after failing from 12 yards against Getafe in La Liga on November 24, 2024. The miss at Anfield summed up his current form.
Sources close to the dressing room say frustration is growing. Some senior players feel Mbappe is not adapting to the team’s system. He has been used mainly as a central striker, but his best work at Paris Saint-Germain came from the left. Carlo Ancelotti has tried to accommodate him, but the balance of the team has suffered.
Vinicius Junior, who thrived on the left last season, has been pushed into different roles. Jude Bellingham, last season’s top scorer, has dropped deeper to make space. The result is a disjointed attack that lacks the fluidity of last season’s Champions League-winning side.
Defensively, the problems are just as clear. Madrid have conceded 18 goals in 14 La Liga matches this season. At the same stage last season, they had conceded only 11. The midfield, once a strength, is being overrun. Mbappe’s lack of defensive work is a factor, but the issues run deeper.
Injuries have not helped. Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Dani Carvajal are all out long-term. Aurelien Tchouameni has been forced to play in defence. The squad is stretched thin, and the pressure is mounting on Ancelotti.
Despite all this, club officials insist they back Mbappe. A statement released on November 28, 2024 said: “Kylian is a world-class player. He needs time to adapt. We have full confidence in him and in the coach.” But behind the scenes, there is concern. The board expected Mbappe to hit the ground running, not struggle through his first months.
Mbappe himself looks frustrated. His body language on the pitch has been poor. He has been seen arguing with teammates and shaking his head after missed chances. The smile that marked his presentation at the Bernabeu on July 16, 2024 is gone.
Real Madrid face a crucial run of fixtures. They travel to Athletic Bilbao on December 4, 2024, then face Girona on December 7, 2024. A Champions League trip to Atalanta follows on December 10, 2024. If results do not improve, the questions will only get louder.
Mbappe was supposed to be the player who carried Real Madrid into a new era. Right now, he looks like a player carrying too much weight. The club that prides itself on handling pressure now faces its biggest test in years. And their star signing is at the heart of it.
