Kylian Mbappé Under Fire as Real Madrid Crashes Out of Champions League

The Spanish press has unleashed a wave of criticism against Kylian Mbappé (26) in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s premature Champions League exit. The reigning champions and 15-time winners were eliminated from the competition after a 2-1 defeat (5-1 aggregate) to Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Mbappé’s performance as the spearhead of Madrid’s attack was lackluster, with only two off-target shots to his name. A controversial moment arose when he was initially awarded a penalty after an alleged foul by Declan Rice, but VAR overturned the decision after review.

The French captain’s substitution in the 75th minute, while Real Madrid was still trying to salvage the game, has fueled disappointment in Spain, where expectations were high for the summer’s star signing.

Spanish media outlets didn’t hold back in their criticism. Cadena Ser headlined, “Mbappé fails to cast even a shadow of Ronaldo.” Their columnist Antonio Romero noted the lukewarm reception to Mbappé’s substitution, contrasting it with the warmer welcome for Brahim Díaz.

AS drew a stark comparison to the club’s former talisman, stating, “One can only imagine how Cristiano Ronaldo, a true gladiator, would have risen to the challenge in such adverse circumstances. We must accept that Kylian will never measure up to him.”