Kylian Mbappe’s Slow Start at Real Madrid as Los Blancos Draw With Las Palmas

After an outstanding season last year, where Real Madrid secured both the La Liga title and the Champions League trophy by defeating Borussia Dortmund, the addition of Kylian Mbappe was expected to make the team virtually unstoppable.

However, despite remaining undefeated, Carlo Ancelotti‘s side currently sits in 5th place, four points behind their rivals Barcelona, who have won all three of their matches so far.

Surprisingly, Mbappe is yet to score a goal, which is unexpected given his strong performance when he sprinted back to open the passing lane and then made a decisive run into the box to finish Jude Bellingham‘s low cross in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta.

This article takes a closer look at Mbappe’s early performances and stats.

Mbappe’s Early Season Woes: High Volume, Low Conversion

Cards on the table: When Mbappe transferred to Real Madrid, all the buzz was about the potential offensive trio of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinícius Jr., with many overlooking Rodrygo. Yet, Rodrygo has outscored all three in open play so far (though it’s still very early in the season).

That’s not to say Kylian Mbappe has been invisible in Real Madrid’s attack—far from it. He leads Europe’s top five leagues in both total shots and shots on target, with 17 shots overall, five more than the second-placed Eberechi Eze, and seven shots on target.

These chances haven’t been low-quality either. Mbappe has generated a non-penalty expected goals (NPxG) of 1.8, second only to Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who has an NPxG of 2.3. In their recent draw against Las Palmas, Mbappe registered nine shots—more than the entire Las Palmas team managed against Thibaut Courtois.

So, while Mbappe hasn’t been invisible, he has been extremely wasteful. Alongside leading in shots and NPxG, he also tops the European leagues in the difference between goals scored and NPxG, highlighting his inefficiency in front of goal.

Is Real Madrid’s Fluid Attacking a Bit Too Fluid?

Both Mbappe and Vinicius have a prefference for playing on the left side of the pitch, so this leaves a lot of room centrally to be exploited, and if Rodrygo could take advantage of that it can indeed work quite well.

Last season, when Ancelotti needed a true striker, he could always rely on Joselu, and that worked really well for him. Remember the 23/24 Champions League semifinal against Bayern München? Joselu came in the 81st minute to score a double and send Real Madrid to the final against Borussia Dortmund.

Vinicius also struggles a bit with this move and setup, and his game has received quite a bit of criticism so far. He occupied mostly the same space as Mbappe and has received a player rating of 6, redeemed a bit by the equalising penalty.

Rodrygo is a player who is omnipresent in attack, appearing all over the pitch. Without clear instructions, this can result in a chaotic and crowded offense. Ancelotti believes his players should have the freedom to express themselves and not be confined to strict positions, but perhaps a bit more direction could be beneficial.

How Does Mbappe’s Debut Compare to Other Real Madrid Superstars?

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut for Real Madrid was notable but did not fully meet the high expectations set by his transfer. His initial appearance came in a friendly match against Shamrock Rovers in Dublin on July 20, 2009, during Real Madrid’s preseason. Playing in front of a smaller crowd and against a team of part-time players, Ronaldo was substituted at halftime and had a subdued performance, even facing some boos from the home fans.

However, his competitive debut on August 29, 2009, in a La Liga match against Deportivo La Coruña, was much more successful. Ronaldo scored a penalty in a 3-2 win, marking a strong start to his official Real Madrid career. This was also followed by a late goal against Espanyol and a double in a resounding 5-0 win against Xerez.

Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham’s debut for Real Madrid was very well received. In Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the 2023-24 La Liga opener, Bellingham made an immediate impact, scoring the second goal from a David Alaba corner. Despite admitting he didn’t connect perfectly with the ball, his volley found the back of the net.

Throughout the match, Bellingham displayed composure, adaptability, and determination, earning praise from both Carlo Ancelotti and the fans. His 75 touches, successful tackles, and clever positioning helped him to quickly integrate with the team. Bellingham’s debut was a dream start.

Luka Modric

Luka Modrić‘s debut for Real Madrid was an event with some initial hurdles. He made his first appearance on August 29, 2012, coming on as a substitute for Mesut Özil in the 83rd minute of the second leg of the 2012 Supercopa de España against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Real Madrid won the match and the title.

Modrić faced challenges early on, struggling to settle into the team due to missing pre-season training while his transfer from Tottenham was finalized. This led to limited appearances and often playing out of position.

His La Liga debut came later, but he marked his first goal for the club on November 3, 2012, with a strike in a 4-0 win over Real Zaragoza. A pivotal moment in his Real Madrid career came on March 5, 2013, when he scored a crucial equaliser in a Champions League match against Manchester United, helping Real Madrid advance to the quarter-finals. Despite a promising start, Modrić took time to fully integrate and establish himself as a key player.

Is It Still Too Early?

Can we really draw conclusions after only four games? The pressure on Mbappé is immense, and Carlo Ancelotti has acknowledged this. Kylian Mbappé is undoubtedly frustrated with his performance so far with Los Blancos. Managing a team of superstars is challenging, and achieving chemistry is even harder.

Despite this, it’s hard not to feel a bit disappointed. However, it will be exciting to follow Mbappé’s journey at Real Madrid, along with any tactical adjustments Ancelotti makes to better accommodate him within the team.