Kylian Mbappe holds talks with Real Madrid senior players amid struggles; ready to take more responsibility as details of chat come to light: Reports
Kylian Mbappe is ready to step up and show his capabilities as a leader at Real Madrid, according to AS. The French skipper came under criticism for his performance against Athletic Bilbao in midweek.
Los Blancos lost the game 1-2, but the outcome could have been different had the French superstar not missed a penalty. Many have questioned the 25-year-old's ability to lead the attack in the absence of stalwarts like Vinicius Junior.
The Brazilian forward is currently sidelined with a muscle injury and has missed the last three games. The LaLiga giants have lost two and won one in that period.
Following the defeat in midweek, Kylian Mbappe apparently chose to address the Real Madrid team. He spoke to his teammates, including the senior members of the squad, and took accountability for his actions. He also vowed to do everything to get the team back on track.
The Frenchman has come under heavy scrutiny since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer on a Bosman move. He is determined to regain his form from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) that prompted Los Blancos to move for him.
Kylian Mbappe's efforts were seen as a positive by the LaLiga giants. They are eager for him to show his leadership qualities and prove his naysayers wrong. With a tough game against Girona up ahead, Real Madrid will be counting on their star player to live up to his promise.
How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored for Real Madrid?
Kylian Mbappe has scored 10 goals and set up two more from 20 games for Real Madrid this season. The French superstar has 256 goals and 108 assists from 308 games for PSG but has endured a slow start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His penalty misses, understandably, has made quite the news of late. Interestingly, Mbappe has missed four penalties this year, two for the Parisians and two for Los Blancos.
The 2018 World Cup winner scored three of his five penalties across all competitions for the Spanish champions this season. He is the LaLiga player with the worst penalty conversion rate this campaign.
While things haven't been looking up so far, Real Madrid are unlikely to lose their head this year. Mbappe has all the ingredients to succeed at the Santiago Bernabeu and has already won the UEFA Super Cup this season. Los Blancos will hope that it is only a matter of time before he regains top form.