Kylian Mbappé is still waiting for his first league goal for Real Madrid after his first three appearances in La Liga. The 25-year-old Frenchman, from whom so much is expected, does not yet seem liberated now that he is finally playing for his dream club. According to Real icon Guti, the superstar needs to take more initiative.
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The former Real Madrid midfielder, known for his exceptional vision and ability to deliver pinpoint through passes effortlessly, expressed surprise that Kylian Mbappé did not take the initiative during a crucial moment in the away game against Las Palmas.
When Real Madrid was awarded a penalty with the team trailing 1-0 in the second half, it was Vinícius Júnior who stepped up to take the spot kick. Guti, the Madrid legend, saw this as a significant indicator of Mbappé's current mindset and believes that the French forward is being too passive.
Guti further elaborated on his point during an appearance on El Chiringuito, a popular Spanish sports talk show. He compared Mbappé's situation to Cristiano Ronaldo's early days at Real Madrid. When Ronaldo joined the club in 2009, he immediately asserted himself as the team's primary leader and goal scorer, establishing a clear hierarchy from the moment he entered the locker room. Guti argued that no one would have dared to take a penalty away from Ronaldo, even if he had just arrived at the club, because of his commanding presence and confidence. According to Guti, Mbappé should have demonstrated similar assertiveness by taking the penalty against Las Palmas, even if it wasn’t officially his responsibility to do so.
The Spanish media have been focusing on Mbappé's cautious start at Real Madrid. Having transferred from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappé has yet to fully integrate into the team and has appeared restrained in his performances on the pitch. He is still finding his place in a squad filled with star players, including Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, who were standout performers last season. Despite these challenges, Real Madrid's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, defended Mbappé and took full responsibility for the team's sluggish start to the season, which has seen them drop points in two of their first three matches.
Ancelotti admitted that the team's strategy needs more clarity and that he must provide better direction to the players. He pointed out that the current style of play is too slow and lacks the necessary dynamism to break down organized defenses. The coach emphasized that it is his job to find solutions and not the players' fault that the team has struggled to convert their chances into goals. Ancelotti dismissed any notion that the issues stem from fatigue or a lack of effort from the squad, stressing that the problem lies in the tactical approach. He also ruled out making any last-minute transfers to strengthen the squad, despite being four points behind league leaders Barcelona after just three rounds of La Liga.
