“He is not even a football player” – French press rip into Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid’s defeat at Liverpool

Real Madrid disappointed massively in their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday night, and much of the criticism was aimed squarely at Kylian Mbappe. In the absence of Vinicius Junior, the French striker failed to feature and also missed a crucial penalty when the match was tied at 1-0.

Carlo Ancelotti backed his player in the immediate aftermath of the Anfield clash, but the press in Mbappe's homeland were not so forgiving. According to Relevo, RMC Sport's assessment of his performance was particularly damning.

“Even the way he shoots at goal is terrible. He radiates concern, he's not even a football player anymore. On the field he no longer does anything, he doesn't achieve anything, he can't run or move. He's at the bottom of the mine.”

Le Parisien labeled Mbappe a “shipwreck”, while L'Equipe called it one of the 25-year-old footballer's darkest moments.

“Without Vinicius he suffered the comparison and could not take on the role of leader. It will be an evening he will soon have to forget: he missed many passes, he lost a ball that created the first chance on the net, he missed a poorly executed penalty, he could not create any danger. His lack of confidence is detrimental to Real Madrid.”