“How would you say Madrid is going to be better” - Cristiano Ronaldo’s old comment on Kylian Mbappe joining Real Madrid resurfaces after penalty miss
Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo's comment on Kylian Mbappe joining Los Blancos has emerged following the Frenchman's penalty miss in a La Liga game in midweek.
Mbappe arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer this summer after a prolific seven-year spell at the Parc des Princes. However, he has had a difficult start to life in the Spanish capital.
The 25-year-old scored on his competitive Los Blancos debut in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta in August. However, since then, he has managed just nine goals and two assists in 19 games across competitions. That includes eight goals and an assist in 14 outings in La Liga, where the holders trail leaders Barcelona by four points with a game in hand.
Kylian Mbappe had a chance to add to his tally on Wednesday (December 4) at Athletic Bilbao but fluffed his attempt from the spot, with Carlo Ancelotti's side losing 2-1. He had also missed his penalty in the 2-0 UEFA Champions League defeat at Liverpool.
Ronaldo had sounded sceptical about Kylian Mbappe's arrival enhancing Los Blancos.
“Let’s see if their head is clear and good, and if they can deal with the pressure, because Real Madrid is not PSG,” Ronaldo had said before Mbappe moved to Madrid (via PSGTalk). “I can’t tell you. Mbappe will go there now. How would you say Madrid is going to be better or going to be. … We don’t know. Let’s see.
“I think Madrid will keep strong, but I don’t know if they will be better than last year. I don’t know. Let’s see. Only God knows. But they have a fantastic team, fantastic players.”
Ronaldo is Los Blancos' all-time top scorer with a staggering 450 goals in nine seasons between 2009 and 2018. He currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Amid Kylian Mbappe's struggles, how did Cristiano Ronaldo fare in his first season at Real Madrid?
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the game's best players ever and finest goalscorers, evident in his record tally of 915 strikes for club and country across his illustrious career.
Amidst Kylian Mbappe - a prolific goalscorer - struggling in his debut Los Blancos campaign, how did Ronaldo fare in his first season at the club since arriving from Manchester United in 2009?
Well, Cristiano Ronaldo had a decent season, registering 33 goals and 10 assists in 35 games across competitions. That included 26 goals and nine assists in 29 outings in La Liga, where Madrid finished second.