The conversation around Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid has grown louder in recent weeks, and head coach Xabi Alonso has found himself at the center of a storm that blends expectation, frustration, and tactical scrutiny. Madrid’s recent dip — particularly the dull attacking displays against Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano — has sparked claims that something deeper is collapsing within the squad. Amid this backdrop, Alonso stepped forward publicly, hinting at an underlying issue.
Real Madrid enters the weekend under more scrutiny than at any point this season. Two straight matches without a goal — a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool and a 0-0 draw with Rayo — have rattled the club’s sense of dominance. For a team with the attacking resources Madrid possesses, the performances were worrying not for the scorelines alone, but for the unmistakable absence of edge, creativity, and killer instinct.
Alonso insists none of this has destabilized him. Speaking ahead of the trip to Elche, he told Diario AS: “We know where we are. The demands, we handle it normally… We don’t give it more weight.” The message was calm, but the tension was obvious: Los Blancos are meant to overwhelm lesser opponents, not drift through matches.
For many, the spotlight has fallen squarely on Mbappe. The French forward produced no shots on target in the two frustrating matches — a rare drought for a player expected to finish the season as La Liga’s leading scorer. Alonso was asked about it directly. His answer was the moment the underlying theme of his argument emerged: “We have analyzed it. It’s up to the team… You also have to look for set pieces. The goals will come, I have no doubts.” And here, between the lines, sat the issue he would define in full later: Mbappe alone is not the problem.
The coach’s second message extended the idea: “When we don’t score, we have to find alternatives that don’t depend only on the center forward.” Madrid, he said, must rediscover a collective approach — the wings, the midfield runs, the set pieces, the secondary forwards. The implication was clear even before he spelled it out.
Mbappe’s numbers continue to go up despite recent slump
The debate cannot ignore Mbappe’s staggering output. His first season at the Bernabeu delivered 31 La Liga goals, 44 in all competitions, and the Pichichi Trophy. He scored in every competition available to him — from Super Cup to Club World Cup — yet Madrid finished the season without a major title, a reminder of how thin the margins are in elite play.
However, his evolution under Alonso has also been notable. ESPN recently revealed an increase in defensive pressures per 90, signaling a forward adjusting to a system that demands collective responsibility rather than pure stardom. Meanwhile, the slower rhythm of Madrid life helped him reset mentally, reflecting in his 14 goals in his first 10 games of 2025-26.
