Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad: 'One of world's best' is better without Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe remained on the bench in Real Madrid's excellent 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Saturday. The French forward is nursing a knock and as a result Alvaro Arbeloa opted not to risk him at the Bernabeu.

Los Blancos moved ahead of Barcelona in the La Liga title race for the time being courtesy of goals from Gonzalo Garcia (5'), Vinicius Junior (25 P', 48 P') and Federico Valverde (31'). It was a perfect way to prepare for this Tuesday's Champions League playoff first-leg encounter with Benfica.

Arbeloa revealed that Mbappe will be "ready to start" against Jose Mourinho's Portuguese giants. But that might not be what one of his troops wants after shining with the Frenchman watching on from the bench.

Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad: Mbappe absence just highlighted a problem

Vinicius stepped up on the night and caused problems with the opposition who were unable to handle the Brazilian winger. He not only scored two penalties on the night but also took three shots, made one key pass, and won three of nine ground duels.

The 25-year-old has become more of a focus in Arbeloa's team after a difficult spell under previous manager Xabi Alonso. He's now bagged 10 goals and 11 assists in 34 games across competitions.

Sociedad boss Pellegrino Matarazzo admitted that his plan was to try and keep Vinicius quiet but failed to do so (via Madrid Xtra): "Our plan was to cover the left to stop Vini Jr., but we couldn’t do that."

Vinicius was able to work his magic as Madrid lined up with Garcia up top. The Spaniard's target man profile allows the Brazilian winger to have more joy then when Mbappe starts as the focal point of the team's attack.

Mbappe likes to drop out wide and is almost handed the freedom to operate across the frontline. This often means center-backs can help their right-back mark Vinicius and this has been on display throughout the season.

Organised teams have an advantage, nullifying Vinicius' threat, because the co-existence between the Brazilian and Mbappe doesn't work. It is an issue that some fans pointed out after watching the Selecao star go 18 games without a goal in the winter.

There's no doubt Mbappe remains one of, if not, the best attacker in world football. He has been unbelievable in front of goal this season, finding the back of the net 38 times in 31 games across competitions.

The Vinicius and Mbappe puzzle

The problem is the lack of cohesion between Mbappe and Vinicius from a tactical perspective. A true number nine such as Garcia occupies central defenders and this works in Vinicius' favor.

Vinicius' display against Sociedad was applauded by his manager after the win. He told the media (via Madrid Universal): "I've been seeing prime Vinicius since the moment I became coach a month ago, to be honest. He is a wonderful boy. He's one of the best in the world, it's an honour to coach him."

It is not to suggest that one of the attacking stars should be benched or even considered for sale. They are at their peak and a better understanding and more tactical work behind the scenes will go a long way in addressing the issue.

The main talking point though is which of the pair should be the focus of this Los Blancos team. Vinicius has done it for years but Mbappe's goalscoring prowess is undeniable.