"I feel that all of that has been lost" - Pundit blames Kylian Mbappe for Real Madrid's poor start to the season
French football pundit Jerome Rothen believes Kylian Mbappe is the main reason behind Real Madrid's poor start to the season. He pointed that the Frenchman had been unable to lead the attack and needed more time adapting to the playing style at the club.
Speaking on RMC Sport, Rothen opined that Mbappe looked like he was regressing and thus needed to arrest the downfall. He said:
"Mbappé was the star of the summer. Real Madrid won everything last season with a solid team and players who proved their worth on the field. However, I feel that all of that has been lost. Kylian has become the focal point of this situation, and his presence is causing frustration for some. Other players have taken on different roles or even lost prominence. It's clear that an adjustment period is needed when changing teams, but when you're among the best players in the world, this should happen quickly."
"We're already in November, and currently, it seems like he's regressing, which is his responsibility. I notice his movements as a center-forward have worsened, and I see him making decisions that go against Madrid's style of play. This has become a burden. Unfortunately, Mbappé is the main one responsible for Madrid's weak start," he added.
Los Blancos are nine points behind Barcelona in the LaLiga table currently but have a game in hand. They were thrashed 4-0 by the Catalan side last month at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Frenchman getting caught offside eight times during the game.
Kylian Mbappe was blamed by another pundit for Real Madrid's poor start
Kylian Mbappe was blasted by football pundit Craig Burley on ESPN last month after the Frenchman's poor outing in El Clasico. He claimed that the Real Madrid star was not able to deliver at the level needed at Santiago Bernabeu. He said:
"When somebody's getting caught offside as much as that, and we've talked about it all game, ridiculous in the end. Ridiculous. To continue to be in offside positions, when you have that level of understanding of the game and experience. He wasn't the only one, but the biggest culprit. I suppose at Real Madrid it's happened a lot. You sign these Galacticos, these big stars, you've got to sort of find a way to get it right."
Real Madrid have not done well in the UEFA Champions League as well. Los Blancos were beaten 3-1 by AC Milan at home earlier this week and are currently 18th in the table.