Karim Benzema (37, Al Ittihad) has some words of wisdom for his French national team and Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappe (26).
Recognized as one of the best strikers in the world, Mbappe joined Real Madrid this summer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Playing primarily as a left winger, Mbappe used his speed and powerful finishing ability to become PSG’s all-time leading scorer.
However, since his move to Real, Mbappe has been playing as a center forward instead of his usual position on the left. That’s because on his left is Vinicius Junior, who is in the prime of his career, having just finished second in the Ballon d’Or.
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti doesn“t want to take him off the field as he”s in top form. Mbappe shouldn’t have too much of a problem either, as he’s been doing just as well in the center as he has on the left.
In total, Mbappe has eight goals and two assists in 14 games since joining Real (six goals and one assist in 10 league games). That’s not bad. However, in his last five games, he has scored just one goal.
More importantly,
Mbappe hasn’t had the same impact in a Real shirt as he did at PSG. His decisiveness and lack of chemistry with his teammates has led to him wasting chances. In the El Clasico with Barcelona, he was caught offside eight times and was unable to prevent his side’s 0-4 defeat.
Benzema told Spain’s El Chiringito on Friday (June 5), “The problem, as I see it, is that Mbappe is not a central striker. 파워볼사이트 Whenever he played as a ‘No. 9’ for the French national team, it was not good,” Benzema said, adding that ”it’s not his position.”
Benzema added: “The problem is that we have another player of his level on the left. You can’t play Vinicius on the right or in the center. It’s on the left where he makes a difference. We have to see what Ancelotti will do.”
Benzema also added: “Mbappe is not a ‘number nine’. There is a lot of pressure on Real. It’s not PSG,” he added, ”My advice is not to give up. I don’t think Ancelotti will move Vinicius,” he said.
Benzema added:
“He is the best in the world in his position. Mbappe should get it into his head that he should be a ‘number nine’ and forget about the left side,” he said, emphasizing that ”Mbappe has been very good on the left, but now he has to be good elsewhere.”
Benzema, a Ballon d’Or winner who scored 354 goals for Real in 14 seasons, added: “Mbappe’s situation is different from my first season. I was 21 and he is 25, it’s not the same,” he said, adding that ”he knows that there is a lot of pressure at Real Madrid.”
“If he doesn’t score a goal in two or three games, the fans won’t be happy. Mbappe has to live with that. He has to live with that pressure.” ”Every game is new and he has to score every time. That’s why we took Mbappe and he has the ability to do that.”