The slap received at El Sadar acted as a brutal return to reality for Real Madrid. Leader newly installed at the top of La Liga after overtaking FC Barcelona, the Merengue club presented itself in Pamplona with the label of the boss sure of his strength. Facing Osasuna, Alvaro Arbeloa’s team thought they would manage, control and impose their technical law. It finally underwent the law of Navarrese efficiency. Despite territorial domination, sometimes attractive circulation around Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni or Eduardo Camavinga, and an equalizer from Vinicius Jr, the Madrilenians lost (2-1), punished by a clinical Ante Budimir, and thus lost the lead in the championship. Lucid, Arbeloa did not shy away from his responsibilities: “If we’re not at our best, anyone can beat us. (…) We lacked control and speed in circulating the ball. » Behind the tactical analysis, a deeper concern emerges, that of a team too dependent on its individualities and incapable, this weekend, of compensating for the drop in performance of its main star.
Because after this defeat, the Madrid press chose its angle of attack and particularly targeted Kylian Mbappé. Daily life A.S. poses the question head-on: “where is Mbappé? » The tone is set. The newspaper insists on “one of his worst matches of the season” and recalls a worrying sequence at the key moment of the year, between La Liga and the Champions League. “Mbappé did not score and Real Madrid lost”summary A.S.like an almost mechanical equation. In Pamplona, the Frenchman only touched 46 balls, attempted two shots, only one of which was on target, and failed to complete a single dribble. A splendid goal, disallowed for offside, was not enough to reverse the general perception. Above all, the Madrid daily insists on the physical fragility of the attacker, handicapped by persistent knee pain since December. “Let’s start with the obvious: Mbappé is not in his best form currently”also writes A.S.who fears that this drop in intensity will be costly in the home stretch.
“Where is Mbappé? »
The same observation, barely nuanced, is found in the columns of MARCA. Under the evocative title “Mbappé and the price of not stopping enough”the newspaper underlines the unusual discretion of the Frenchman against Osasuna. Certainly, MARCA recalls his refused shot into the top corner “a few millimeters” and this decisive pass offered to Vinicius, but worry dominates. The daily newspaper mentions a sprain diagnosed at the end of December, a hasty return, back-to-back matches despite a theoretically longer convalescence. “Despite a knee injury which has handicapped him for two and a half months, he is the most used outfield player in La Liga”underlines the newspaper, which points out a paradox between the overall statistics (38 goals in all competitions) which remain impressive, with the visual sensation of a blunt player. Behind this risky management, MARCA also sees an assumed personal objective of overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo over a calendar year. A motivation that would push Mbappé to never take his foot off the gas, even if it means weakening his body.
In this harsh press review, a common thread appears. Real Madrid doubts because Mbappé doubts physically. A.S. talk about“a small period of scarcity” at the worst time, MARCA of a “already noticeable slowdown” against Benfica. Arbeloa continues to protect his player: “I would like to thank Kylian for his efforts. We know he was playing with a knee injury and anyone else in that situation might have hesitated. » But the coach’s kindness is not enough to calm the questions. As the European deadlines approach and with the French team gatherings in March as a backdrop, the question is no longer just sporting but strategic. Can Real Madrid afford a diminished Mbappé? Or should he agree to go without it temporarily to recover it 100%? In Pamplona, the defeat cracked the leader’s veneer. In Madrid, the press has chosen to face what it considers to be the heart of the problem.
