Mbappe can start Madrid career in inaugural Clasico

Saturday’s La Liga Clasico gives Kylian Mbappe a chance to improve on his average start at Real Madrid. As he adjusts to life in Madrid after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in June, the derby against league leaders Barcelona is a chance to earn credit and time.

Mbappe joined Madrid from PSG in a “dream” move following years of futile attempts by the Spanish champions. The 25-year-old forward has scored eight times in 13 matches in all competitions, but coach Carlo Ancelotti is still finding the best method to use him.

If he scores against Barcelona and helps Real Madrid match Barcelona’s 43-game La Liga unbeaten streak, the striker will feel better.

“We are satisfied with him, because he’s scored goals,” Ancelotti told reporters Friday.

“I think he’s getting closer to his best, but neither the staff nor him is rushing.

“Obviously, he will continue to improve, because he has all the qualities to do so.”

Jude Bellingham set the stage for Mbappe last season, scoring twice in his Clasico debut to win Madrid the game and a last-minute Bernabeu winner against Barcelona in the second league match.

“(In Mbappe) we have a striker that can score 30, 35, 40 goals,” Ancelotti added, replacing Bellingham, who is playing deeper in midfield this season.

This week, the coach claimed he would rather Mbappe “scores goals than presses” to boost his attacking productivity. Mbappe has six La Liga goals, while Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski leads with 12. Barcelona leads Madrid by three points.

Mbappe did not score in Real Madrid’s 5-2 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund midweek. The attacker set up Antonio Rudiger and looked sharp, but Vinicius Junior scored a magnificent hat-trick.

In the devastating Champions League comeback that made Madrid so desirable, Mbappe, who had claimed earlier in the season he wanted to score 50 goals for Madrid, failed to score. The forward has struggled off the pitch in recent times.

Swedish authorities have not named Mbappe, but he is under investigation for rape after visiting Stockholm earlier this month. The player’s lawyer told AFP Mbappe would fight for libel, calling the reports “fake news”.

He was criticised for not playing in France’s recent Nations League games after recovering from a thigh injury, and PSG is refusing to pay him 55 million euros ($59.5 million) in back wages. A spectacular Clasico performance would put Mbappe back in the spotlight, but it won’t solve his difficulties. Mbappe starts in the middle for Madrid but typically plays on the left, swapping positions with Vinicius.

“How Mbappe arrives at the Clasico — much ado about nothing,” Mundo Deportivo headlined Friday.

The PSG forward may silence Catalonian fans if he scores more than six goals in four Champions League matches versus Barcelona. Mbappe and Barca’s young prodigy Lamine Yamal may define the new age of the Clasico, which was watched by over half a billion people in the past due to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s fights. Mbappe would settle for a decent performance and outcome to cover the cracks until he settles at Madrid and Madrid’s team settles around him.