Mbappe criticized

“He does nothing, hardly moves, a low point”

For Kylian Mbappe (right), it was time to look away at Anfield Road on Wednesday evening.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Oli SCARFF)

Kylian Mbappe is being savaged in the media following Real Madrid's 2-0 CL defeat at Liverpool. "He doesn't do anything, he barely moves, he doesn't manage anything," French journalist Daniel Riolo, for example, fired from all cylinders.

The millionaire (and expensive) superstar from France is currently the symbol of Real's super-negative run. Six points from five games, 24th place in the table, the threat of "relegation" as the 25th-placed team is already out, i.e. not in the knockout competitions. And Mbappe alone is to blame for this? That's the conclusion the reader might come to if he takes a look at the various headlines and other media commentaries on the day after the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.

"No longer a footballer"
French radio journalist Daniel Riolo takes a particularly strong line. According to him, Mbappe is "no longer a footballer". But there's still a bit of room for improvement. You can really see Mbappe's "discomfort". For example: "He doesn't do anything on the pitch, he doesn't achieve anything, he hardly moves at all. He's at a low point." There are friendlier descriptions. Perhaps even more appropriate ones?

(Bild: Associated Press)

It's amazing how much a world champion, World Cup top scorer, Champions League top scorer and seven-time French champion can sink into a slump. In fact, the 26-year-old once again failed to impress at Anfield Road. He practically missed the penalty as a bonus. His colleague Riolo claims to have known that straight away. "When I see how he runs up to take the penalty, I can already tell that something is wrong." In fact, the Frenchman didn't seem particularly determined in his run-up.

On the other hand, if the ball had gone in, journalists would very likely have been on hand to immediately recognize from the run-up that Mbappe was going to score as a matter of course and with somnambulistic certainty.

The fact is that Mbappe's dream debut at his new club Real Madrid looks very different. Nine goals in 18 competitive games - certainly not a catastrophic record for a "normal" striker. But we are talking about Kylian Mbappe. And he probably expected more from himself. In the Champions League, he has just one goal after five games.

Ancelotti sticks by him
The coach has his back. "He has our full support to get out of this slump," says Carlo Ancelotti: "Kylian is an exceptional player, we have to be patient. He is working well." After all.