Liverpool ran roughshod over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, leaving Los Blancos — and Kylian Mbappe in particular — hurt.
At the club, the fans and the media agreed that, with Vinicius Junior absent through injury, this was Mbappé’s day to prove his worth to his new club after a mixed start to the season.
But he did not. Quite the opposite, as he missed the penalty that could have brought his team back into the game.
His plight was summed up at the final whistle, seconds after he had lost possession for the 15th time in a sequence that ended with an amazing Thibaut Courtois save to stop Luis Diaz from making it 3-0. The Frenchman stood for a few moments with his hands on his hips before being the first player to reach the dressing room, crestfallen and consoled on his way by team-mate Jesus Vallejo and assistant manager Davide Ancelotti.
Losing the battle with Bradley
Before his move to Real Madrid was announced, there was debate among fans and in the media about how Mbappe might fit in. The main concern is that his preferred position, on the left, is already occupied by Vinicius Jr, a player rated as the second-best in the world by the Ballon d’Or judges.
The Brazilian started the season on the wing but at Leganes on Sunday, in an attempt to improve the Frenchman’s fortunes, Ancelotti switched their positions.
With Vinicius Jr injured for the trip to Anfield, Mbappe’s area of greatest impact was cleared. And opposite him was Conor Bradley, who was playing just his fourth Champions League game and his first as a starter.
Although Bradley received help from his team-mates, Mbappe continually failed both one-on-one with him and against more opponents.
In the first four minutes he had the first two losses, celebrated with jubilation by the home fans, who whistled at him throughout. The first mistake, moreover, resulted in a gilt-edged Liverpool chance, with Raul Asencio clearing off the line.
One of the most significant images came in the 32nd minute, when he challenged Bradley in a move in which he would previously have clearly won, but this time the defender did. Anfield celebrated it like a goal.
Mbappe finished with just one shot on target (the saved penalty) and another blocked, three (the most, along with Brahim Diaz) from six successful dribbles, a 75 per cent passing success rate (the lowest, after Courtois), zero chances created, 15 possessions lost and three recoveries.
The missed penalty
Mbappe was presented with an opportunity in the second half to change the script.
Eight minutes after going 1-0 down to Alexis Mac Allister’s goal, a combination between the newly-entered Dani Ceballos and Lucas Vazquez ended in a penalty for a foul on the Galician. Without Vinicius Jr, there was no doubt the penalty taker would be Mbappe.
Antonio Rudiger stayed close to the ball and his team-mate as the play was reviewed, looking to make sure no one disturbed him. But when Mbappe stepped up to face Caoimhín Kelleher, it was the goalkeeper who came out on top.
Caoimhin Kelleher denies Kylian Mbappé from the spot! 😳
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fr45wUF2Cj
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024
Mbappe reacted by putting his hands to his head, though he was a little less expressive afterwards. Briefly he thought he might have another chance and waited to hear whether the penalty would be retaken because the goalkeeper had stepped off his line. But no.
A third of his goals this season — three out of nine — have come from penalties. But this was not his night.
Is Mbappe’s attitude an issue?
Mbappe’s gestures do not give a good impression and this has been the case for some time.
He looked lacking in confidence and crestfallen as he went to the changing room at half-time. After those minutes inside, before returning to the pitch, the cameras caught him apart from a group of team-mates, as if distant, while Jude Bellingham was leading the way, giving directions and encouragement.
Mbappe’s frustration could be seen after Cody Gakpo’s goal made it 2-0 with 14 minutes remaining, protesting to the referee about a possible offside.
Just before that there had been a moment that reflected his impotence in this game, losing a ball from Luka Modric’s short corner and losing a race back to try to regain possession.
Many fans also criticised him for his attitude after the game, not going to greet the away stand. He also did not show his face in front of the media or in the mixed zone, something Modric, Ceballos and Bellingham did.
Ancelotti was asked about the Frenchman’s mood.
“It could be that he lacks a bit of confidence,” said the Italian. “When you have a moment when things aren’t going your way, the idea you have to have is to play simply and sometimes you complicate things a bit more. But this moment is missing. You can’t judge a player for a missed penalty.”
Support to overcome a difficult period
Mbappe is struggling and his numbers reflect that. He has produced nine goals and two assists in 18 games, averaging a goal involvement every 136.54 minutes.
How can he improve his situation?
Perhaps a first step is support from within, something he has been feeling.
The club have gone out of their way in recent weeks to speak highly of him in private with the media, highlighting the level he is at in closed-door training sessions.
Ancelotti and his team-mates have followed in those footsteps in public too.
“Kylian has been criticised in an exaggerated way, it has been very positive how he has contributed. I see him in training and it’s scary,” Bellingham told a press conference on Tuesday.
“The penalty (miss) is not the reason we lost,” said the Englishman on Wednesday.
“Work and keep fighting and keep going, because the moment will pass,” said Ancelotti. “(A situation like this) has happened to me many times in my career, especially with strikers when they struggle to score. There is a medicine: be patient. Everyone has to support him.”
Modric, in captain mode, also offered supportive words in the mixed zone: “It’s his first year and it’s never easy — at Madrid the first years are complicated. He has our confidence and he knows how to get out of this: not to lose confidence, to work day by day… .”
Lucas Vazquez assured that “we always support him, he is a world-class player and he will prove it. The team is always there to help him.”
Ceballos also gave him a nod. “He’s not scoring the goals he wants to score, but we know better than anyone how hard he’s working,” he explained. “It’s difficult to settle at a club like Madrid, but Kylian will do it. I’m sure he will.”
(Top photo: Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
