Mbappé Shines with Brace and Leads Real Madrid to Champions League Victory
Kylian Mbappé expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and highlighted the importance of following coach Xabi Alonso’s instructions. The French forward scored two crucial goals for Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory against Marseille in the Champions League. American forward Timothy Weah put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute, but Mbappé responded with a penalty seven minutes later to tie the score 1-1. In the second half, Dani Carvajal was sent off after an aggression, but Mbappé reappeared with another penalty, thus adding 50 goals in 64 games with Madrid.
Mbappé emphasized his commitment to the coach’s instructions, highlighting the importance of teamwork and the pursuit of titles. The forward has scored six goals so far this season, four in LaLiga and two in the Champions League.“I feel very good. I don’t think about being one of the team leaders, I think about being myself, Kylian, I think about the team,” Mbappé told Movistar. “Xabi wants us to recover the ball faster. We have to understand what we do and, then, we are determined to do it, because we want to win.”
Kylian Mbappé
In the match, Alonso opted for Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono as starting wingers, leaving Vinícius Júnior on the bench for the second time this season. Mastantuono, at 18 years and 33 days old, became the youngest player to start for Real Madrid in the Champions League, surpassing Endrick’s record. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois highlighted the changes in the collective approach under Alonso’s direction, emphasizing the importance of team defense. The next Real Madrid match in the Champions League will be against Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on September 30, followed by a home match against Juventus on October 22.“It has an incredible impact,” Alonso commented. “The team found the Champions spirit at the Bernabéu. The expulsion [of Carvajal] was avoidable, it’s a shame, we’ll have to talk about it.”
Xabi Alonso
