Kylian Mbappe Finds His Groove at Real Madrid After Slow Start
Kylian Mbappe discusses his slow start at Real Madrid, citing a need for humility and a change in mentality, and expresses confidence in his continued improvement after a recent resurgence in form.
Kylian Mbappe Finding His Groove at Real Madrid
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe has been in impressive form, scoring four goals in his last three games. The 26-year-old French forward acknowledged that it took him longer than expected to settle into his new team after joining from Paris St Germain. Mbappe attributed his slow start to adjusting to a new team and environment.
Mbappe identified the most significant challenge he faced since arriving at the Bernabeu as overthinking and not focusing his efforts in the right direction. He noted that Real's 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Athletic Bilbao in early December, where he missed his second penalty in a week, served as a turning point. Mbappe reflected on this experience, saying, “I believe it was a mentality issue and that was a point I realised that I had to work harder.”
Mbappe elaborated on his mental struggles during that period, stating, “I was thinking too much about how to do things. Whether to go into space, whether to go to Vini's (Vinicius Jr's) area of the pitch, to Rodrygo's area, when you overthink you don't focus on your game.” He acknowledged that he was physically fine and had settled in with the group, but recognized the need to improve his performance. Mbappe emphasized, “I didn't come to Madrid to play badly. Here we have to play well all the time and now I am ready to do that.”
Mbappe also discussed the criticism he faced during his slow start, saying, “I felt bad because I'm a player who always wants to do more and when you don't perform in that level it's normal to get targeted. I knew that it could happen and in the end it was a good moment because after that game I changed my mentality.” He acknowledged hitting rock bottom but viewed it as an opportunity to improve, adding, “I couldn't do any worse, so when you hit rock bottom you can only go up.”
Mbappe's Resurgence Continues as He Finds His Scoring Form
Since the Athletic Bilbao game, Kylian Mbappe has experienced a remarkable resurgence, scoring 12 LaLiga goals to move into second place in the scoring charts, and 17 goals overall. Mbappe acknowledged that the pressure and expectations surrounding his transfer to Real Madrid were normal, but emphasized the importance of remaining calm and focused on his game. He stated, “When you're a player like me, with everything that was expected of me, it's normal that people talk. But for me it's not something personal, you have to be calm and focus on your game. I knew I could change the situation and I did.”
🔥 WHAT. A. FINISH! 🔥
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 21, 2025
✍️ @KMbappe#LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/JdagE5jXhT
Mbappe also discussed his approach to joining Real Madrid, highlighting the need for humility. He explained, “I'm never going to be a shy player. But when a player like me arrives at Madrid he has to come with humility.” Mbappe clarified that his humility was not a sign of shyness, but rather a demonstration of respect for the team and its traditions. He added, “It's not shyness, I can't arrive here and demand. I came with maximum respect and it's good that every day that goes by I have more importance in the team.”
Mbappe's primary objective is to continually improve and play his best game for Real Madrid. He expressed his desire to push himself to greater heights, saying, “My objective is to play my best game for Madrid in every game, to do better. I have the feeling that I can do better, I have it in my legs. I'm the kind of player who needs this pressure and who needs to do more.” As Real Madrid prepares to face Salzburg in the Champions League, Mbappe will be looking to continue his impressive form and help his team secure a crucial victory.
🎙️ @KMbappe 🎙️
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 21, 2025
📺 Press conference ➡️ RM Play
Real Madrid currently sits 20th in the 36-team Champions League table with nine points, four points off the top eight spots that secure direct qualification to the last 16. Salzburg, on the other hand, is 32nd on three points, five points adrift of the playoff places. A win for Real Madrid would be a significant step towards securing a spot in the next round.
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