Karim Benzema: Mbappe Must Adapt to Central Role

Karim Benzema, Real Madrid’s former forward believes Kylian Mbappe must adapt to playing as a central striker at the club since he cannot displace Vinicius Junior on the left wing. Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid after his contract with Paris St-Germain expired in July, has scored eight goals in 14 appearances but he has struggled recently, netting only once in his past five games.

Mbappe’s preferred position is on the left wing but manager Carlo Ancelotti has kept Vinicius in that role leaving Mbappe to play as a central forward. Benzema, who had a successful career at Real, pointed out that Mbappe doesn’t feel comfortable in the central striker role both at the club and with the national team. He emphasized that Mbappe’s natural position is on the wing but with Vinicius excelling on the left, there is no room for Mbappe to play there.

Benzema, who became Real’s second-highest scorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo before moving to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad warned Mbappe of the pressure he faces at Real Madrid. He said that if Mbappe goes without scoring for two or three games, he will face significant criticism a situation that didn’t occur at PSG. Benzema also noted that Vinicius is currently one of the best players in the world making it difficult for Mbappe to claim a spot on the left flank.

Karim Benzema advised Kylian Mbappe to accept his new role as a central striker and shift his focus away from the left wing. He urged Mbappe not to give up, despite the challenges he may face at his new club as Real Madrid’s current system and star players like Vinicius, create a tough environment for change.