Kylian Mbappe just doesn’t quite get Real Madrid.
Long faced with accusations he sees himself bigger than the record Champions League winners, he isn’t exactly helping his case.
Leading voices in the Madrid media claim he doesn’t have a connection with the fans, and in response, Mbappe may have made matters worse.
“You have to know how to handle criticism because everyone at Real Madrid has been criticised. Ronaldo, Di Stéfano… I don’t see why I should be an exception,” he said, comparing himself to the club’s two greatest-ever players.
“Real Madrid is like a religion for people in Spain… there’s a lot of talk and speculation.”
In response, Spanish pundit Antón Meana said: “Right now, more than being compared to Di Stéfano and Cristiano, he might be more like Bale and Hazard. That kind of booing.
“Even though he’s better than them, he’s not yet ready to be compared to the boos Cristiano and Di Stéfano received.”
Yet to make matters worse, Mbappe appeared on Aurelien Tchouameni’s podcast shortly after and suggested he doesn’t have to press.
“I’m a player who defends less than others and sometimes that can be a problem,” he said.
“But when I do, it has a real impact on the team; at Madrid it’s noticeable that when I press, the others do too.
“Although I’m often criticised for it, it doesn’t bother me because I consider it constructive criticism.”
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