Sports
Benzema suggests reason for Mbappe’s struggles at Real Madrid
Karim Benzema has suggested why Kylian Mbappe seems to be struggling at Real Madrid since his arrival from Paris St-Germain this season.
Mbappe has scored just one goal in his past five games, and failed yo convert several chances during the El Clasico over a week ago.
The 25-year-old’s favoured position is on the left wing but manager Carlo Ancelotti has kept Brazil international Vinicius Junior in that position, forcing Mbappe to play centrally.
Benzema said the French forward is not a center forward and would have to adjust well to the new position in order to stay relevant at the club.
He said Mbappe must learn to play as a central striker because he will not be able to displace Vinicius Jr on the left.
Read Also: Mbappe, Vinicius Jr fire Real Madrid past Celta
“The problem, in my opinion, is that [Mbappe] is not a central striker, even with the national team, every time he plays as a number nine he doesn’t feel right, because that’s not his position,” former France striker Benzema said on Spanish television show El Chiringuito., external
“On the left, he’s got a guy who’s at the same level as him, Vinicius, so there is a problem, you can’t play Vinicius as a number nine or on the right, because when he plays on the left he makes the difference in every game.
“Mbappe isn’t a real number nine. People ask a lot of him and he’s under a lot of pressure, this isn’t Paris St-Germain.”
Recall that Benzema is the second highest goal scorer at Real, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the club’s chart.
Mbappe had departed Paris St-Germain as the club’s record goalscorer with 256 goals in 308 games.
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