We have to talk about him again because he’s so eye-catching. Although this season hasn’t been good for Real Madrid, Mbappé has been performing well and is in great form.
In the 35th round of La Liga, Real Madrid lost to their old rivals, Barcelona, in the Derby della Nacional with a score of 3-4. This loss eliminates Real Madrid from defending their league title, but the game was huge for Mbappé. He scored three goals, achieving a hat trick. This broke the record previously held by Iván Zamorano for most goals scored in a debut season with Real Madrid. He also surpassed Lewandowski, who currently holds the top spot on the list of top scorers.
In the 36th round, Real Madrid faced Mallorca. Real Madrid fell behind at the start of the game and couldn’t equalize for over an hour. Just when everyone was starting to get frustrated, Mbappé stepped up. He received a pass from Modrić at the perfect moment, broke through the defense with ease, and kicked the ball into the near corner before the keeper could react.
This goal instantly boosted the team’s morale and set the stage for Hakobo Ramon to score the winning goal at the last moment. Without Mbappé in this game, the result could have been completely different.
In fact, Mallorca was no slouch either. Although they were playing away from home, they played with determination. Head coach Alasate arranged a five-back formation specifically to limit Mbappé. He had captain Raiolo keep an eye on Mbappé and arranged for other players to be ready to clamp down at all times.
However, when Mbappé really got going, all these defensive strategies failed. He didn’t score in the first half but continued to create problems for the opposing defense with his flexible running, excellent ball control, and speed. His presence created opportunities not only for himself to score, but also for his teammates to get closer to the opponent’s goal.
If Mbappé had been a bit calmer and luckier, he could have scored more goals. In this game, apart from the key goal, Mbappé completed 90 touches, made 59 passes, and had an 85% pass success rate. He also made six key passes, two successful long passes, and nine breakaways with the ball. He won six out of 13 confrontations.
It hasn’t been a successful season for Real Madrid. They failed to live up to expectations in all competitions. Carlo Ancelotti’s season also ended in disappointment. However, Mbappé’s performance made the fans feel a little better. He made 54 appearances this season and scored an impressive 40 goals. He thus became the player with the most goals in a first season in Real Madrid’s history.
Although Mbappé needed time to adapt when he first joined the team, he has since fully integrated and shown the strength of a top player. He has helped Real Madrid overcome difficult situations many times, but his efforts often can’t cover up the team’s problems. For example, the backline is unstable and the midfield lacks control.
Next season, Real Madrid will be led by Xavi Alonso, opening a new chapter. Mbappé’s performance has made him one of the most beloved players among fans.
