"We didn't stop Cristiano Ronaldo from taking them" - Real Madrid icon believes Mbappe should have taken penalty against Las Palmas
Real Madrid veteran Guti compared Kylian Mbappe with Cristiano Ronaldo, opining Vinicius should've let the Frenchman take the penalty against Las Palmas on Thursday (August 29). Real Madrid's 1-1 draw against Los Amarillos marked the third consecutive game in which Kylian Mbappe failed to register a goal contribution.
Despite playing the entire 90 minutes, Mbappe registered just two shots on target and missed one big chance. He also lost possession 12 times throughout the game and failed to make a single key pass.
After going 0-1 down in the first five minutes, Real Madrid got a chance to equalize via a penalty in the 69th minute. Vinicius Junior converted and helped Los Blancos salvage a draw.
Speaking about the match, Guti commented:
"For me, Mbappé had to take the penalty. At the time, we didn't stop Cristiano Ronaldo from taking them." [via @MadridUniversal]
The Frenchman joined Los Blancos on a free transfer after spending seven years with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). At the Parc des Princes, Mbappe scored 256 goals in 308 appearances to become the highest scorer in the club's history.
Despite scoring in his debut game against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final, Kylian Mbappe hasn't been able to live up to his hype in La Liga. The 26-year-old didn't impress in France's Euro 2024 campaign either, managing just one goal throughout the tournament.
"Cristiano was like that" - Former Real Madrid legend compares Kylian Mbappe with Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro compared Cristiano Ronaldo with Kylian Mbappe in an interview with El Chiringuito TV. The former Real Madrid star raved about Mbappe's ability to get a goal from nowhere.
Comparing the Frenchman with Cristiano Ronaldo, he said:
"Mbappé reminds me of Cristiano. He's on the field, he's smelling a goal. You have to be worried with this guy because he will score a goal. Cristiano was like that."
Kylian Mbappe has been a huge fan of the Portugal talisman since his childhood. The 25-year-old once opened up about the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate, saying:
I love Cristiano and I was a big fan of him when I was young but I start to like Messi too because when you are a big fan of Cristiano when you are young, you can't see how Messi is good because you love Cristiano. But I grew up and I like both now." [via SPORTbible]
Mbappe's former teammate Abdou Diallo even revealed how Mbappe would fight anyone who claimed that Lionel Messi was better 'for at least an hour.'
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2022, he said:
"Cristiano Ronaldo is literally everything to Kylian Mbappe. If you mention Lionel Messi against Cristiano, Mbappe will debate with you for at least an hour. For him, Cristiano is untouchable."
The two could've played together in 2021 when Jorge Mendes offered Cristiano Ronaldo to Paris Saint-Germain for two consecutive years. However, the Ligue 1 giants reportedly rejected the deal both times [via Sky Sports].