EL CLÁSICO
Mbappé looks to do what Ronaldo and Zidane couldn’t
Real Madrid’s French forward Kylian Mbappé will look to shine in his first Clásico against Barcelona.
There’s a LaLiga lead on the line this Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu, where the first Clásico of the season between Real Madrid and Barcelona will take place. Both teams are battling shoulder to shoulder for the top spot in the standings, setting the stage for an intense showdown at the Merengues’ home ground.
This Clásico will feature new faces, including Kylian Mbappé, who, after years of anticipation, will finally don the white jersey in a match of such global significance. He will look to begin writing his story in this world-stopping rivalry.
Mbappé, who currently has six goals and one assist in LaLiga, will aim to add to his tally and make his mark against Real Madrid’s fierce rival. This is precisely the type of match where the French star is expected to shine, much like Jude Bellingham did last season by scoring crucial goals against Barça, securing vital points that contributed to Madrid’s eventual title win.
During his time with PSG, Mbappé faced Barcelona four times, scoring six goals, so finding the net against the Blaugranas is nothing new for Madrid’s number 9. This Saturday, he hopes to bring joy to the Merengue fans with another memorable performance.
Doing what Cristiano and Zidane couldn’t
A statistic that could place Mbappé among the most anticipated debutants against Barcelona would be if the Frenchman scores his first goal in a Clásico – something even legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane couldn’t achieve in their first encounters with Barça.
In their LaLiga Clásico debuts against Barcelona, neither Cristiano nor Zidane managed to score. Cristiano’s debut ended in a loss, while the iconic number 10 Zidane, despite Madrid’s victory, was unable to make his mark on the scoresheet. Now, Mbappé has the chance to score and join Bellingham as part of the new generation of Madrid debutants who have made a difference in a Clásico – an objective he will undoubtedly have in mind against Hansi Flick’s side.