[Saba Sports News] Real Madrid’s “Mbappe system” has not worked, and one of the main reasons is that Kylian Mbappe has not lived up to expectations. Mbappe’s arrival not only brought instability in attack, but also affected the team’s defense. In addition, Mbappe has begun to be dissatisfied with his position on the pitch. He was reluctant to play centre-forward, and Carlo Ancelotti had few other options in his squad, with Mbappe and Vinicius Junior both playing on the left, a clash of positions that made the tension simmer.
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The Italian coach has a problem and the solution is not easy because neither man can easily get on the bench. Mbappe’s start to the season has arguably been one of the worst in recent memory – he has scored just eight goals in 15 games, in stark contrast to his astonishing goalscoring record at Paris Saint-Germain. In Paris, the team was built around him and he had full freedom on the left, but at Real Madrid, Mbappe was given much less space and chances, leaving him somewhat frustrated in the game because Real’s tactics could not create enough attacking opportunities for him.
In fact, Real have long known of Mbappe’s positional conflict with Neymar in Paris. In Paris, the two were able to coexist reluctantly due to Neymar’s frequent injuries, but in the end Paris chose to sell Neymar and let Mbappe enjoy the core position alone. At Real Madrid, Vinicius is firmly on the left and his performances are more decisive for the team. It may need to choose between the two if it hopes to proceed smoothly.