Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes star forward Kylian Mbappé is struggling with a “lack of confidence” after the Frenchman missed a crucial penalty in their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday. The miss, which came with Madrid trailing 1-0 in the 61st minute, was a pivotal moment as Liverpool went on to secure the victory and leapfrog the Spanish giants in Group A.
Ancelotti: “There’s a Cure, and It’s Patience”
Speaking candidly in his post-match press conference, Ancelotti addressed Mbappé’s recent scoring drought, which has seen him net just two goals in his last nine appearances for Los Blancos. The Italian tactician empathized with his star player’s plight, noting that such slumps are common for even the most prolific strikers.
“It happens a lot with forwards, there are times when it’s hard for them to score,” Ancelotti explained. “There’s a cure, and it’s patience. It’s a difficult moment for him, above all today, with the missed penalty. Everyone has to support him.”
The former Everton and Bayern Munich boss went on to suggest that Mbappé’s struggles in front of goal may be rooted in a crisis of confidence, a notion that seemed to be reinforced by the striker’s tentative penalty attempt. Ancelotti, however, remains confident that the 21-year-old will rediscover his scoring touch with the right approach.
“It could be a lack of confidence. Sometimes, when you have a moment when things aren’t going well, the idea is to play simply, and you can complicate things a bit,” he said. “He’s scored a lot of penalties. Sometimes you can miss one… He has to work, keep fighting, and the moment will pass.”
Teammates Rally Around Mbappé
Mbappé’s teammates were quick to come to his defense, with midfield maestro Luka Modric insisting that the squad still has full faith in the young Frenchman’s abilities. The Croatian veteran, who has seen his fair share of ups and downs over the course of his illustrious career, seemed confident that Mbappé would bounce back stronger.
“He looks good to us, he’s training well, he’s confident,” Modric told Movistar. “Sometimes things work and sometimes they don’t, today it didn’t, above all with the penalty, but we believe in him. Kylian will do what’s expected of him, for sure.”
Dani Ceballos, who came off the bench in the second half, echoed Modric’s sentiments, urging patience with Mbappé as he acclimates to the immense pressure that comes with playing for a club of Real Madrid’s stature.
“[Mbappé] isn’t scoring the goals he’d like to,” Ceballos admitted. “We have to wait for him. It isn’t easy coming to a club like Real Madrid. I think he’ll do a lot for this club, and this team.”
Ancelotti Concedes Liverpool Deserved Victory
Despite the focus on Mbappé’s missed penalty, Ancelotti was quick to acknowledge that Liverpool were the better side on the night and fully deserving of the three points. The Reds created a host of chances and could have won by an even more comfortable margin had it not been for some wayward finishing of their own, with Mo Salah also failing to convert from the spot.
“To be honest, it’s the right result,” Ancelotti conceded. “Liverpool deserved to win, they’re in good form. We did well in the first half, our plan went well… The team competed until the penalty.”
The result leaves Real Madrid third in Champions League Group A, three points behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of second-placed Napoli. With just two games remaining, Ancelotti will be hoping that Mbappé can rediscover his scoring touch quickly as Los Blancos look to secure their passage to the knockout stages.
Camavinga Injury Adds to Madrid’s Woes
To compound Madrid’s misery, promising young midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was forced off with a muscular injury in the 56th minute, adding to Ancelotti’s selection headaches ahead of a pivotal run of fixtures.
“It could be a strain, he felt something, and that’s two or three weeks at least,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois revealed after the match.
With key games coming thick and fast both domestically and in Europe, Ancelotti will be hoping that Mbappé can shake off his malaise and that Camavinga makes a swift recovery as Real Madrid look to get their season back on track. For now, though, the Italian will be left to reflect on a chastening night at Anfield and the work that lies ahead to turn the tide.
