Kylian Mbappe’s frequent offside calls could prove to be a liability for Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid fans are worried about Mbappe’s offside record, which is higher than expected,” British media outlet BeIn Sports reported on Feb. 2, citing the player’s shortcomings based on numbers.
Mbappe left Parisian club PSG to join Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga ahead of the start of the 2024-2025 season. It was the move of the century, as Mbappe is regarded as the next top attacker to succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Real Madrid was already a powerhouse, having won La Liga and the Champions League last season, and the addition of Mbappe was expected to propel them to even greater heights.
However, Mbappe and Real Madrid didn’t quite work out as expected. The El Clasico against Barcelona in the 11th round of La Liga, where Real Madrid lost 0-4, is a good example of this.
In the early stages of the match,
Real Madrid attacked and looked to score, creating several chances but lacking in finishing. In the second minute of the first half, Mbappe received a through ball in the middle of the field and quickly drove into the box, only to have his shot ruled out for offside.
In the 30th minute, Mbappe looked to have scored again, but was again ruled offside.
It was Barcelona who took the lead in the second half. Lewandowski opened the scoring in the ninth minute off a pass from Marc Casado, 카지노사이트 and two minutes later, Valdez headed home a cross from Lewandowski.
Down 0-2, Real Madrid tried to fight back, but just like in the first half, they were unable to capitalize on the decisive goal. Instead, they conceded two more goals, leaving them with a four-goal deficit.
In total, Real Madrid committed 12 offsides in the match, eight of which were committed by Mbappe.
As Football Transfer notes, “The eight offsides are the most in a La Liga match in the last decade. Mbappe had three shots on target and a 100% pass completion rate (13/13), but overall it was a disappointing performance.”
Based on this,
The UK’s BeIn Sports concluded that “Mbappe is going through a difficult adjustment period in La Liga. His tactical understanding and influence on the game have been a concern in recent games.”
“Mbappe has been offside 17 times this season, the most in Europe’s top five leagues. This is the highest number since Cristiano Ronaldo’s 22 in the same period in 2013-2014, and fans and analysts alike are pointing out that Mbappe needs to improve his positioning and timing.”
“Mbappe’s pace and scoring instincts are exceptional, but if he struggles to manage offside in crucial games, it could have a negative impact on Real Madrid’s offense,” the outlet warned.
“The high number of offsides could mean that Mbappe’s movements are easily read by defenders. Mbappe will need to compensate for this with better timing and spatial awareness.”
