Kylian Mbappe admits it took longer than expected to adapt when he joined Real Madrid but is relieved to finally be in top form for the Champions League holders.
Former Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe has scored four goals in his last three games and scored a brace as Los Blancos defeated Las Palmas 4-1 last time out in LaLiga.
Mbappe – who scored 27 goals in 29 league appearances in his final season at PSG and has now scored 12 goals in 18 for Madrid – feels guilty of overthinking his move.
The 26-year-old said a 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Athletic Bilbao in early December, when the forward missed his second penalty in a week, was a turning point.
“I believe it was a mentality problem and that was a point where I realized I had to work harder,” Mbappe said ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match against Salzburg.
“I was thinking too much about how to do things. Whether I go into space, whether I go to Vinicius (Junior)'s area on the field, to Rodrygo's area… if you think about it , you don't concentrate on your game.
“Physically and with the group it was going well, but I knew I had to do more, that was the moment to change the situation.
“I didn't come to Madrid to play badly. Here we always have to play well and now I'm ready.
“I felt bad because I am a player who always wants to do more and if you don't perform at that level it is normal to be targeted.
“I knew it could happen and in the end it was a good moment because after that match I changed my mentality. I couldn't do worse, so when you hit rock bottom, you can only go up.
WHAT. A. END! @KMbappe#LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/JdagE5jXhT
— Real Madrid CF (@realmadriden) January 21, 2025
After scoring three times in 12 games in all competitions up to and including the game against Bilbao, Mbappe has since found his shooting boots and has scored 17 times in total this season.
“When you are a player like me, with everything expected of me, it is normal that people talk. But for me it is not something personal, you have to be calm and concentrate on your game. I knew I had the situation could change.” and I did,” he said.
“I will never be a shy player. But when a player like me arrives at Madrid, he has to come with humility.
“It's not shyness, I can't come here and demand. I came with maximum respect and it's good that every day that passes I become more important in the team.
“My goal is to play my best game for Madrid in every match, to do better. I feel I can do better, I have it in my legs. I am the kind of player who needs this pressure and who needs to do more.”
Madrid are 20th in the 36-team Champions League table with nine points, four points clear of the top eight places that secure direct qualification to the last 16. Wednesday's opponent, Salzburg, is 32nd with three points, five points behind the play-off places.
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