Too bad for Mbappe.

Kylian Mbappe had a virtually trophyless season with Real Madrid, despite the French striker still shining with his goals.

Winning the European Super Cup earlier this season or the FIFA Intercontinental Cup at the end of last year with Real Madrid can hardly be considered major trophies for Mbappe. The fact that "Los Blancos" were eliminated from the Champions League, the Copa del Rey, and have virtually no chance of winning La Liga marks a disastrous season for "Los Blancos".

Mbappe is still great.

Mbappe entered the 2024/25 season under immense pressure. After seven years of dominating Ligue 1 with PSG, he arrived at Real Madrid with the goal of conquering La Liga and the Champions League. The French star displayed impressive form, scoring 39 goals in 52 matches across all competitions. This is the highest ever achievement by a player in their first season at Real Madrid, breaking the previous record held by Ivan Zamorano (Zamorano scored 37 goals in 45 matches after moving from Sevilla more than three decades ago).

The irony is that the French superstar's hat-trick couldn't secure a win for Real Madrid. Mbappe, despite being the brightest star, couldn't mask Real Madrid's problems. The team's defense is in crisis with a series of injuries to Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy.

The midfield, despite having names like Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham, lacks the creativity to support Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. AS commented: “Mbappe scores more goals than all of Real Madrid’s other forwards combined, but he can’t make tackles or play the whole game.”

Similar to Cristiano Ronaldo

Mbappe's situation is reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo's first season at Real Madrid (2009/10). At that time, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United for a record £80 million, carrying the expectation of leading the team to major titles.

In his first season, Ronaldo immediately proved his worth with 33 goals in 35 matches across all competitions, but Real Madrid did not win any titles. Barcelona, ​​then under the leadership of Pep Guardiola, dominated La Liga, while in the Champions League, Real Madrid were eliminated in the round of 16 by Lyon.

Mbappe has shown impressive form, scoring 39 goals in 52 matches.

Like Mbappe, Ronaldo shone individually but couldn't compensate for the imbalance in the team. Real Madrid's defense at the time, with Pepe and Raul Albiol, frequently made mistakes, while the midfield lacked consistency.

It wasn't until his second season that Ronaldo began to achieve success, winning the Copa del Rey. In the 2011/12 season, under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, Ronaldo and Real Madrid finally started to reap the rewards with a La Liga title. Mbappe is currently facing a similar situation.

Real Madrid in the 2024/25 season lacked squad depth, especially in defense. With only four genuine center-backs – Jesus Vallejo not being of sufficient quality and Militao and Alaba constantly injured – Real Madrid were easily exploited by strong opponents like Barcelona or Arsenal.

Mbappe, despite his talent, cannot compensate for these shortcomings. It is rare for Real Madrid to lose all four El Clasico matches in a single season. It brings to mind how Ronaldo was once powerless against Barcelona's might under Pep Guardiola's leadership.

Hansi Flick's current Barcelona, ​​while not yet achieving the same success as Pep Guardiola's era, also displays a similar style of attractive, attacking football that suffocates opponents. This poses a challenge for Mbappe himself and especially for President Florentino Perez in the future.

Real Madrid's failure to recruit quality central defenders and midfielders in recent times has cost them dearly, leaving their squad unbalanced. Furthermore, Carlo Ancelotti's coaching style, while successful in the past, seems no longer suitable for the current team.

The defeat against Barcelona and the risk of not winning any titles reflect larger problems in Real Madrid's strategy. For Mbappe to become a legend, Perez needs to take decisive action, from transfers to playing style.

The 2024/25 season may be a trophyless year for Kylian Mbappe, but it's also an opportunity for him to mature, just like Ronaldo did in his early days at Real Madrid.

Barcelona's 4 goals against Real Madrid: On the night of May 11th, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 4-3 in round 35, thus putting one hand on the La Liga championship.

Source: https://znews.vn/tiec-cho-mbappe-post1552757.html