Kylian Mbappe reacts to Real Madrid position switch

Kylian Mbappe reacts to Real Madrid position switch

Kylian Mbappe reacts to Real Madrid position switch. Kylian Mbappe has debunked the claims that his position in the Real Madrid team has been the reason behind his underwhelming performance since his arrival in the summer.

Recall that Mbappe signed for Los Blancos as a free agent in the summer to complement a Madrid squad that was recently crowned Spanish and European champions, tipped to supercharge an already world class attacking lineup.

But it took the Frenchman four La Liga games to get off the mark in front of goal, operating as a ‘number nine’ rather than his usual left forward role he had mastered at Paris Saint-Germain.

Although a flurry of goals did follow, Mbappe hit a brief injury setback and then scored only once in the next seven games across all competitions. The 25-year-old was on the scoresheet on Sunday against Leganes, but he surprisingly started on the left, swapping roles with usual winger Vinicius Junior.

But Mbappe’s explanation for a better performance was due to finding “rhythm”, rather than necessarily being in a more familiar or preferred position.

Speaking to Real Madrid TV, Mbappe said:

“It was a good game, I started well, I’m starting to get into rhythm.

“I played in a different position to other games. I can play in all positions, maybe I’ll play in another one in the next game. I’m ready. It’s the story of my career, playing on the right, in the centre, on the left… I want to play well and score a lot of goals.”

Ancelotti, who had spoken ahead of the game about players being satisfied with their respective positions, insisted that swapping Mbappe and Vinicius was only the result of the latter feeling the after effects of travel to and from South America during the international break.

“Playing on the outside is more tiring than through the middle,” he claimed.

“Vini Jr returned from international duty on Thursday and Mbappe was fresher than Vini Jr. He scored a goal with a fantastic assist from Vini Jr. They’re both improving bit by bit.”