Kylian Mbappe, the high-profile forward for Real Madrid, delivered a sharp assessment of the team's recent performance, directly linking their slip into the Champions League playoff round to a fundamental lack of consistency. The 15-time European champions suffered a decisive 4-2 loss against Benfica in Lisbon, concluding the group stage in ninth place and necessitating an extra knockout fixture in February.
"The problem is we aren’t consistent in our play, we have to fix that," Mbappe told reporters following the match, as reported by Al Jazeera. "A champion team does not do that... We deserve to be in this situation today. Benfica were better."
This defeat marks a significant setback, abruptly halting a three-match winning streak under interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa. The immediate consequence is the unwelcome obligation to contest two additional playoff matches, a time the club had hoped to utilize for focused tactical development ahead of the tournament's later stages.
Mbappe, who scored twice in the loss, avoided attributing the poor showing to a single factor, suggesting the issue was systemic. "If I only say that [attitude], you’ll think we came here without any desire. If I tell you it’s just a football issue, you’ll think the team is bad. No, I think it’s a broader issue,"
He emphasized the unforgiving nature of top-tier European competition: "in the Champions League, every detail matters if you want to beat your opponent. It shows you that if you don’t come in with everything you need to win a Champions League match, the opponent will come and, as they say, make fools of you."
While acknowledging the gravity of the Champions League failure, Mbappe shifted focus to domestic matters, appealing directly to the Santiago Bernabeu faithful. He urged supporters to back the squad in their upcoming La Liga fixture against Rayo Vallecano, rather than expressing frustration through boos, a tactic witnessed earlier this month.
"Come and support the team – we had a bad game – but we are not knocked out of the Champions League, and in La Liga we’re in a good dynamic now," Mbappe pleaded, underscoring the need for unified momentum as the club navigates this unexpected mid-season complication. (Source: Al Jazeera)