"Saving player Mbappé": L'Equipe toys with Real Madrid player's crisis on the cover

Kylian Mbappé never leaves the eye of the hurricane. He ended his fruitful tenure at PSG with legal disputes about his payments. He has been ostracised by a large part of the public opinion and press in France by his ineffective role at the UEFA Euro 2024 with France, and later got excluded of two call-ups with the team.

And, since he joined Real Madrid, all he hears around him are doubts and criticism about his performance: his lack of confidence, or intensity, even questioning the validity of his five-year contract after three months, 18 games and 9 goals.

Can the 25-year-old player be redeemed? That is the question French newspaper L'Equipe asks in today's cover, Friday November 29. 'Il Faut Sauver Le Joueur Mbappé', a parody of the movie Saving Private Ryan, with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and French coach Didier Deschamps.

Real Madrid players defend Mbappé

In the Valdebebas dressing room in Madrid, his colleagues keep shielding and defending Mbappé every time they are asked about it (which is almost every matchday, but especially after the Liverpool defeat, where Mbappé missed a penalty).

"He works good, I see him well and he's confident. We have faith in him. I'm sure he'll do what everyone expects of him", said Luka Modrić.

Dani Ceballos, who joined in after Camavinga's unfortunate injury, said that Mbappé "is working on more than anyone else". "It's difficult to come to a club like Real Madrid, who have won everything, and settle in for the first few months. He'll give a lot to this team very soon".

Ancelotti also thinks the remedy is to be patient and everyone has to support him. "He's scored a lot of penalties. Sometimes he can miss a penalty. He's working well and has adapted well. We have to be patient because he's an extraordinary player".

"He's a world class player, he shows that and he will show that again. We're delighted and the team is here to try to support him in everything", Lucas Vázquez added about Mbappé. Without Vini for at least four more games, Mbappé has more opportunities to prove haters wrong.