Why isn’t Kylian Mbappé scoring for Real Madrid in LaLiga?

Kylian Mbappé has had an underwhelming start to life in LaLiga with Real Madrid, failing to score a goal or register an assist in his first three games in the Spanish top division.

Real Madrid’s Mbappé “problem”

His relative struggles haven’t not gone unnoticed by the French press, who believe that the France national team captain cannot play as a centre forward, which also proved a problem when he was at Paris Saint-Germain.

Daniel Riolo, a journalist for RMC Sport, claimed on the After-Foot programme that Carlo Ancelotti was falling into the same trap as PSG coach Luis Enrique and France boss Didier Deschamps, who persisted with playing Mbappé in a central position when he is far more effective on the left wing.

“We’ll see if Mbappé is the solution for the future. Of course, Ancelotti is using him as a number nine, like Luis Enrique and Deschamps, but we are seeing that it isn’t working. He isn’t a number nine and he never will be. I have repeated it 1000 times: Mbappé will never be a number nine.

“I said it last year with Luis Enrique, regardless of whether he took him off or not. The problem that Luis Enrique faced, that Deschamps has faced as well and that Ancelotti will face is that, regardless of whether you substitute him or not, he has to play on the left wing. The same thing is happening to Ancelotti with Mbappé as with Luis Enrique”.

Do Real Madrid have a problem with Mbappé and Vinícius?

Before the former Monaco star officially signed for Real Madrid, there were questions about how the Italian would fit both Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior into the same team, with both favouring the same starting position out on the left flank. Riolo feels the situation could lead to both players “getting angry” and can only see one solution at present.

“Mbappé isn’t a number nine, and we’re seeing that he’s playing at the same level as he has done in the last few months with PSG and the French national team. He is tired. But he could just wait it out, because maybe Vinícius could leave Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia.”

Although the Brazilian has decided to hold off discussions about a new contract at the Bernabéu, he revealed last week that he wanted to win several more Champions Leagues with his current club, which suggests Ancelotti may have to solve the perceived problem another way.