Former Paris Saint-Germain winger Jérôme Rothen has expressed concern that Kylian Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid has adversely affected the team’s dynamics.
Despite Mbappé’s impressive goal tally in his debut season with the Spanish giants, Rothen believes his presence has unsettled the squad’s balance.
Mbappé, who has Cameroonian and Algerian roots, joined Real Madrid from PSG last summer amid significant fanfare.
However, Rothen suggests that the French forward’s integration into the team has been problematic.
Rothen also criticized Mbappé’s performance in Real Madrid’s recent 3-0 Champions League defeat to Arsenal, noting that the forward appeared awkward and failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
He emphasized the need for a player of Mbappé’s caliber to be more decisive in crucial matches.
The former PSG player further highlighted that Mbappé’s playing style may not align with Real Madrid’s tactical setup.
He observed that Mbappé’s lack of defensive contribution and his tendency to disrupt the team’s structure have been detrimental.
Despite these criticisms, Rothen acknowledged that adaptation periods are common when players switch clubs.
However, he stressed that as one of the world’s top players, Mbappé is expected to adjust swiftly and positively influence the team.
“He is one of the culprits. We don’t want to put all the blame on Kylian Mbappe for the match, but we expected a decisive Mbappe and he wasn’t. I saw him a bit awkward. He didn’t always hit the mark in the few chances he had. A striker of his calibre has to improve. As for individual performances, he was quite mediocre.
“The other disappointment, and in this case Mbappé is perhaps responsible, is his style, his way of being. We don’t see it. Mbappé is stingy in defense, he is not someone who focuses tactically on protecting the midfield. Looking at Carlo Ancelotti’s system yesterday, this is the question I asked myself.
“The fact of having signed Mbappé has destabilised Madrid tactically. In the important games since the beginning of the season, Real Madrid have not been up to par. For me, this is a problem.”
