Mbappé's Real Madrid role uncertain: Could he take over Vinicius' position?
Kylian Mbappé‘s arrival at Real Madrid has yielded underwhelming results, creating significant tactical challenges for manager Carlo Ancelotti. The French star’s dissatisfaction with his central attacking role has become a major issue, particularly given his positional overlap with Vinicius Jr.
Ancelotti faces a difficult dilemma, as neither player is easily benched, creating a major tactical headache.
Mbappé’s start to the season has been far from spectacular, scoring only eight goals in 15 matches. This pales in comparison to his prolific goal-scoring record at PSG, where the team’s tactics were largely tailored to his strengths, utilizing his speed and skill on the left wing.
At Real Madrid, he has fewer opportunities and appears frustrated by the team’s inability to consistently create scoring chances for him.
Echoes of PSG’s Neymar conflict
Real Madrid’s current situation bears a resemblance to Mbappé’s prior experience at PSG alongside Neymar, where the two players occupied similar attacking positions. Neymar’s frequent injuries facilitated their coexistence at PSG; however, the club ultimately transferred Neymar to allow Mbappé to flourish.
In Madrid, Vinicius Jr. occupies Mbappé’s preferred position and has proven far more decisive than the Frenchman. Real Madrid will need to address this positional conflict to ensure the project’s success.
Concerns and Consequences
Mbappé’s entourage is increasingly concerned about his situation, as he is being blamed for Real Madrid’s underperformance. Unlike Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, Mbappé’s defensive contributions are limited, and his goal-scoring rate is significantly lower than expected.
His decision to join Real Madrid, amidst numerous other attractive offers, is now viewed by some as a potential career setback. However, it’s also acknowledged that Florentino Pérez would likely choose Mbappé over Vinicius were he forced to choose.
Ancelotti’s tactical decisions have so far failed to resolve the issue. In major matches, it’s difficult to field both Vinicius Jr. and Mbappé simultaneously, making the decision to bench one of them extremely difficult. Such a decision could trigger significant unrest within the team.
The situation has also negatively impacted other players: Rodrygo has limited playing time, and Jude Bellingham’s defensive responsibilities have diminished his offensive output. The current tactical setup has created an untenable situation.
This revised version presents the information in a more concise and engaging manner for English-speaking readers, highlighting the key issues and implications of Mbappé’s situation at Real Madrid.