How Real Madrid’s Mbappé stood up Champions League rivals Liverpool

Mbappe faces Liverpool in the UCL with Real Madrid, but could easily have played for the Premier League leaders.

Kylian Mbappe captivated fans with his goals in Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, but since arriving at the Parc des Princes there has been constant speculation about his future. Real Madrid wasn't his only lover during his time with the French champions. While the LaLiga giants eventually secured the striker, Liverpool, who they play in the Champions League on Wednesday (November 27), thought they had signed the France captain but were ultimately left in the lurch.

How Kylian Mbappé almost signed for Liverpool

The 25-year-old will visit Anfield, a place he could have called home, for the second time in his career. On his first and only previous visit to PSG during the 2018/19 season, Mbappe scored the match at 2-2, thanks to an assist from Neymar Jr., before Roberto Firmino scored the winner in the 92nd minute. Years later, Mbappe was seriously tempted to join one of the Premier League giants.

“I spoke to Liverpool because it was my mother's favorite club,” Mbappe admitted to The Telegraph. It was 2022 and the Frenchman had just extended his contract with PSG, but the Reds had done as much to secure his signing as Real Madrid.

“It's a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It's a great club. My mother loves Liverpool. I don't know why, you have to ask her!” the forward added, emphasizing that his mother and agent, Fayza Lamari, was excited at the idea of ​​seeing him sprinting around Anfield in Liverpool red.

French newspaper L'Equipe shed more light on a deal that never materialized. That summer, just weeks after signing his new contract, Mbappé requested a transfer and reached an agreement with Liverpool. The striker wanted to leave and sought a short-term contract with Liverpool before eventually moving to Real Madrid. Neither happened. Anfield was neither a stepping stone nor a final destination.

Mohamed Salah the biggest danger for Real Madrid

In England, the door was left open for the possible arrival of Mbappé last summer, but that was directly dependent on another deal that fell through: Mohamed Salah could have been sold to Saudi Arabia in the 2024 summer transfer period when he spent the last year of the transfer period started. his contract. With the Egyptian's future still uncertain (his contract expires in June 2025 and he can negotiate with any club from January 1), Salah is yet to renew but continues to prove his importance to Liverpool at the age of 32.

The right winger was decisive again in Sunday's game against Southampton, scoring two goals to help the Reds come back and win at St. Mary's Stadium. A message to Real Madrid and those who wanted to replace him with the Parisian striker.

Salah vs Mbappe

The two players will be in different positions going into Wednesday's match at Anfield. Salah continues to perform at an incredibly high level, with twelve goals and ten assists this season.

Mbappé's statistics, meanwhile, are more impressive than his achievements. The Frenchman scored his ninth goal for Madrid against Leganés this weekend, but we're still waiting for his first high-profile appearance in white. With Vinicius out for three weeks, this would be perfect timing…

And what better setting than a Champions League for Mbappé to show Real Madrid fans what he is really capable of and remind Liverpool of what could have been?

Original article written by Alberto P. Sierra, translated with the help of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.