The frustrations surrounding Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe are reaching a crescendo, and the Frenchman will really have to come back with a vengeance this weekend in El Clasico to quiet the mounting doubts around his fit and even his quality at the club.
As PSG head for a second straight Champions League Final appearance since letting Mbappe got Real Madrid in 2024, Los Blancos are facing back to back seasons without a trophy. The dichotomy is telling, and though Mbappe's goals had papered over the cracks, Madridistas have begun to see past the individual glitz and glamor in the same way that the PSG faithful did, too.
Even those in Spain more affiliated with rival clubs are speaking openly about how disappointing Mbappe has been in Madrid. In a recent interview with El Partidazo de COPE, former Atletico Madrid defensive midfielder Mario Suarez, a key player when the Rojiblancos won a historic title and reached the final against Real Madrid a decade ago, didn't hold back on the French forward.
Mario Suarez highlights the Vinicius Jr. double standard
Suarez said, "He's not stepping up as a leader like was expected of him. It's not a matter of aptitude, it's a matter of attitude. If Vinicius did even half the things he's doing, people would be tearing him apart."
Each of these three statements hit the nail on the end. Although Vinicius Junior was the one villified at the beginning of the season, unlike Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius has won two Champions League titles at Real Madrid. The numbers also back up how hard he works on both ends of the pitch for Real, and each time Mbappe has been out, Vini Jr. has rose to the occasion.
As Mario Suarez points out, if Vinicius Jr. was doing the things Mbappe does like not playing defense or causing issues in the locker room, he would be crucified to a much, much greater extent. But, see, Vinicius Jr. doesn't actually do these things, which is why the Real Madrid players appear to respect him a lot more.
Mbappe has the ability to be great, but it feels like he chooses not to. Hence why Suarez calls it an "attitude" issue. When Real Madrid brought in Mbappe, they expected him to be a key figure at the club and a leader. He is, after all, the French national team captain. But Real Madrid have not seen any of those leadership qualities from him, particularly not leading by example since he still will not defend for the team, just as he did not do for PSG.
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