"I hope he stays on the bench and rests" - Mallorca star makes hilarious Kylian Mbappe claim ahead of Real Madrid clash
Mallorca star Sergi Darder jokingly hoped for Kylian Mbappe to stay on the bench and rest for Real Madrid's La Liga opening match against Mallorca on Sunday (August 18). Speaking ahead of the match, Darder said (via Madrid Xtra):
“Mbappé? I hope he stays on the bench and rests (laughs).”
Kylian Mbappe made his Real Madrid debut on Wednesday (August 14) in the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta. The Los Blancos won the match 2-0, with the Frenchman scoring the second goal of the night on his debut. He is set to make his La Liga debut for Real Madrid against Mallorca alongside Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo among the front three.
Mbappe signed for the Los Blancos on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain (PSG) this summer on a five-year deal. He sported the number 9 jersey on his debut, which had not been worn by anyone since the departure of Karim Benzema in 2022.
Kylian Mbappe reacts after scoring his first goal for Real Madrid on debut
On August 14, Kylian Mbappe scored his first goal for the Los Blancos with a smooth finish, courtesy of an assist from Jude Bellingham. Following the match, Mbappe shared his feelings after scoring his first goal for his dream club.
"First goal with Real Madrid? It was very special. It's a long-awaited goal, I was very keen on starting this new adventure with Real Madrid. To start well, to start with a trophy is very special but to play for this club, the biggest in the world is even more special," Kylian Mbappe said (via Madrid Xtra).
Federico Valverde scored the opening goal of the final in the 59th minute. Soon after, Vinicius Jr. dribbled into the penalty box and attempted to pass the ball to Mbappe in front of the goal. However, the Frenchman could not receive the ball.
Yet, Jude Bellingham reached the box at the right time to receive the ball and passed it back towards Kylian from the left side. The French forward deposited it into the top right corner of the net, scoring in his debut game for the Spanish giants.
With a victory in the UEFA Super Cup final, Kylian Mbappe also picked up his first title as a Los Blancos player. He is expected to be key to the Los Blancos attack next season, as the 15-time Champions League winners will look to win their next title with a stellar squad.
It remains to be seen if the former PSG star will finally be able to see the UEFA Champions League glory while sporting the Los Blancos shirt, given the club's exceptional record in the tournament. The Frenchman is yet to grace his trophy cabinet with a UCL but the drought could end soon.