“That’s what’s going to happen to him” - Thibaut Courtois makes prediction about Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid forward scores in 2-0 win vs Getafe
Thibaut Courtois has backed Kylian Mbappe to explode into the scenes at Real Madrid. The French superstar has struggled to live up to expectations since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu on a Bosman move this summer.
However, the 25-year-old was on song for Los Blancos on Sunday, December 1, against Getafe in LaLiga. Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net (38'), while Jude Bellingham converted a penalty (30'), to help the reigning champions secure a 2-0 win.
After the game, Courtois was full of praise for the Frenchman.
"Kylian Mbappé is a player with great quality. This is like a bottle that has liquid inside and it seems like it doesn't come out, but suddenly it all comes out. And that's what's going to happen to him," said Courtois.
Real Madrid were hot on Kylian Mbappe's heels for ages and previously failed to prise him away on two occasions. Los Blancos reportedly offered a monstrous fee for the French superstar in the summer of 2021, only for Paris Saint-Germain to turn them down.
The following summer, the player appeared to be a step away from joining the Spanish champions for free. However, Mbappe performed a late U-turn and signed a new deal with the Parisians.
Real Madrid finally had Lady Luck on their side this summer. Despite PSG's best efforts, the Frenchman finally made his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabeu this year.
How has Kylian Mbappe performed for Real Madrid so far?
Kylian Mbappe has largely operated in a centre-forward role for Real Madrid. The Frenchman was expected to hit the ground running at the Santiago Bernabeu but hasn't kicked into top gear yet.
One of the reasons for his struggles could be his position. Mbappe prefers to operate in the left-forward role and isn't comfortable playing centrally.
However, Vinicius Junior has been outstanding in that position for Los Blancos and narrowly missed out on the Ballon d'Or this year. The Brazilian has been in top form this season too, registering 12 goals and eight assists from 18 games across competitions.
Mbappe, however, was offered a rare chance to operate in his favored position on Sunday in Vinicius' absence due to injury; and he made the most of it. The former PSG superstar has registered 10 goals and two assists from 19 games across competitions for Real Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti recently hinted that he could switch the Frenchman permanently to the left, and play Vinicius through the middle.