Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli suggested that Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe is uncomfortable on the pitch due to Vinicius Jr.'s presence in the club. He believes Mbappe struggles to attack centrally, and with Vinicius occupying the left flank, the Frenchman finds it challenging to express himself effectively. In an interview with SPORT, Sampaoli remarked that Mbappe is showing a limited version of his abilities and resembles only a shadow of the dynamic player he was at PSG and with the French national team.
"Vinicius is at Madrid. He [Mbappe] really looks very uncomfortable, very withdrawn. He doesn't know how to attack in that position. In any case, he has scored important goals. But he is not the player I saw in France or at the World Cup in Qatar either," Sampaoli was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda. Similarly, Journalist Anton Mena, speaking on Cadena SER this season, claimed that Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. are not in sync. He noted that the two tend to avoid each other on the pitch and merely put on a display of “fake brotherhood” for the fans. Mbappe joined Real Madrid last summer after his contract with PSG expired. While in the club, he overtook Cristiano Ronaldo's goals tally by scoring 36 goals for the first season at Santiago Bernabeu.
Kylian Mbappe is equal to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: Jorge Sampaoli
During the interview, Jorge Sampaoli also discussed how Kylian Mbappe is equal to two of the greatest footballers of this generation, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Mbappe also wears jersey no 9, the same which was once worn by Ronaldo before taking up the seven number jersey.
"We were talking about Lamine [Yamal], who can be compared to Messi because he has individualism and also a connection with otherness. Mbappe struggles a little more. I compare him more to Cristiano, a player who is always thinking about himself and the goal. And in Paris, he was decisive on the left, as a winger in number 9," Sampaoli said as quoted in Goal.
