"He's won a lot of trophies here" - Kylian Mbappe names 'important' Real Madrid star people don't speak much about
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe named teammate Fede Valverde as an important player in the squad who does not get enough recognition. Valverde has been in exceptional form for Los Blancos this season, with Ancelotti playing him in a few different positions on the pitch.
In 18 outings for Real Madrid this season, Fede Valverde contributed four goals and two assists across competitions. The Uruguay international has played in multiple different positions, including as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder and a right-back. In the Merengues' 3-0 win over Leganes in LaLiga on November 24, Valverde played as a right back and scored their second goal of the night (66').
In the post-match press conference after Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Leganes, Kylian Mbappe, who also scored once during the game, heaped praise on Valverde, saying (via Madrid Xtra):
“Valverde? People don't speak much about him, but he's very important for us. He's won a lot of trophies here.”
Valverde has won 13 titles with Real Madrid so far, including two UEFA Champions League titles, three LaLiga titles, three Supercopas de Espana, and one Copa del Rey. Kylian Mbappe has shared the pitch 17 times with the Uruguayan for Los Blancos, recording one joint-goal participation.
"I can play in any position" - Kylian Mbappe makes feelings clear after Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Leganes in LaLiga
In the post-match press conference, Kylian Mbappe shared his thoughts after scoring in Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Leganes in LaLiga on November 24. The French superstar was also named the Man of the Match. He said (via Madrid Xtra):
"I always take the win. We came here to win after Barcelona drew yesterday. I think I played a good game, in a different position. I can play in any position. I just want to help and play well."
Mbappe played as a left winger in the fixture against Leganes for the first time since joining Los Blancos this summer. The Frenchman has been playing as a center-forward so far, with Vini Jr. on the left. However, he was unable to perform at his best at the position.
Kylian Mbappe's performance showed significant improvement in the aforementioned match, with the Frenchman finding the net in the 43rd minute. He recorded three shots on target and maintained an 85% passing accuracy. He lost possession only 13 times and was caught offside once.
Mbappe has contributed nine goals and two assists in 17 appearances across competitions for Los Blancos.
(All match statistics are as per SofaScore and are subject to change as per the website's prerogative.)