Kylian Mbappe had a night to forget as Real Madrid lost 2-0 at Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night courtesy of goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
Mbappe played the full 90 minutes at Anfield but only registered two shots, including a penalty kick that was saved by Reds keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
He also had the lowest pass completion rate (75 per cent) of any outfield player.
As a former captain of Paris Saint-Germain and the current skipper of France Mbappe was naturally put under the microscope by French newspaper L’Equipe during Wednesday’s game.
In the paper’s player ratings article, Mbappe scored a lowly 2/10, making him the joint-worst player involved along with team-mates Arda Guler and Ferland Mendy, who gave away a penalty kick.
L’Equipe is famous for marking players harshly and that was reflected elsewhere on Wednesday as Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz each only scored 3/10.
Kylian Mbappe produced a disappointing performance as Real Madrid lost 2-0 at Liverpool
Mbappe’s only shot on target was from a penalty kick, which was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher
Liverpool right back Conor Bradley executed a superb sliding tackle on Mbappe at Anfield
Meanwhile, the ratings issued to Liverpool’s players ranged between 5/10 and 7/10, with Conor Bradley and Mac Allister scoring highest.
Discussing Mbappe’s poor performance, L’Equipe said that he struggled in the absence of Vinicius Junior and that the ex-PSG star ‘suffered from the comparison’ to the Ballon d’Or runner-up after trying to make an impact on the left flank.
The paper added that Mbappe ‘has still not been able to assume the role of leader of the Madrid attack that falls to him’.
Mbappe’s disappointing night was also said to be in part a result of a solid 6/10 display by Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, ‘who dominated him in the duel between the two French internationals’.
Mail Sport reporter Lewis Steele was unimpressed by Mbappe too, but gave him a significantly higher mark than L’Equipe in his player ratings article.
Summarising Mbappe’s apparent 4/10 showing at Anfield, Steele wrote: ‘Bullied by young Bradley and, like fellow Galactico Bellingham, Mbappe put in a ghostly performance. Penalty was weak.’
Mbappe has now failed to score in seven of his last nine games for Madrid, having netted in six of his first nine.
After 18 appearances for Los Merengues he has nine goals in total.
Mbappe was one of three Madrid players to score just 2/10 in L’Equipe’s ratings on Wednesday
Liverpool No 5 Ibrahima Konate got the better of No 9 Mbappe in the majority of their duels
England star Jude Bellingham (centre) also endured a frustrating evening against Liverpool
Liverpool’s first goal of the game was scored by Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister
Wednesday’s defeat at Anfield left Madrid 24th in the Champions League table with three rounds of fixtures remaining, while Liverpool sit top with a 100 per cent record.
Madrid’s last three games in this phase will be away to Atalanta, at home to RB Salzburg and then against Brest in France.
Teams placed between ninth and 24th at the end of the league phase will take part in a two-legged play-off, with the winners reaching the last 16.
The top eight teams in the league phase will progress directly to the round of 16, while teams who finish 25th to 36th will be eliminated from Europe.
Madrid have now lost three of their last five games in all competitions, including home defeats by Barcelona and AC Milan.
Barca are currently four points clear of Madrid in their battle for La Liga glory.
