Mbappe and Vinicius – Magic on paper but no spark on the pitch | OneFootball

When Kylian Mbappe arrived at Real Madrid, the expectation was that he would elevate the team and form a dream partnership with Vinicius Jr.

Instead, the numbers tell a different story. According to AS, far from becoming a dynamic duo, the two superstars have spent most of the season out of sync, and both have suffered as a result.

So far, Real Madrid has played 68 matches this season, totalling 6,240 minutes. Vinicius and Mbappe have shared the pitch for 3,439 of those minutes, which is around 55% of the season.

On paper, it looks like a perfect setup for chemistry to develop, but in reality, that has not happened.

Numbers reveal a disconnect

Vinicius and Mbappe have not clicked together. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Vinicius is known for being one of the team’s main creators, recording 19 assists this season compared to Mbappe’s five. However, only 15% of Vinicius’ 1,315 passes have gone to Mbappe. That’s just 202 passes all season.

The reverse is even more surprising, as of Mbappe’s 1,413 passes, only 184 have gone to Vinicius, which makes up just 13%. Given their talent, these numbers are alarmingly low.

The lack of connection is impacting their performances. Despite Mbappe winning the Golden Boot, his goal rate has dropped from scoring every 88 minutes last season to every 108 minutes now.

His overall goal involvement has slipped from once every 72 minutes to once every 97.

Vinicius has seen an even bigger decline. In the 2023/24 season, he scored once every 129 minutes. This season, it has fallen to one goal every 211 minutes. His total goal involvement has dropped from every 88 minutes to every 113.

Getting worse, not better

Vinicius and Mbappe have struggled to sync at Real Madrid this season. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

The worrying part is that both players were more effective in the first half of the season. Of the 68 games Real Madrid played, Vinicius and Mbappe scored in the same match just eight times and most of those came before January.

Vinicius’ form collapsed in the season’s final stretch. After his Ballon d’Or debacle, his output plummeted. He scored just one goal in his last 11 matches, that lone strike coming against Arsenal in the Champions League second leg.

Right now, the data is clear that the pairing of Vinicius and Mbappe is not working as expected. They are not playing to each other’s strengths, and both players are worse off for it.

Instead of complementing each other, they often seem disconnected on the pitch. Both players are individually brilliant, but together, they are making each other worse and not better.

Whether it is a tactical issue or a matter of on-pitch chemistry, Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso need to find a solution fast. Otherwise, they risk wasting the prime years of two of football’s brightest stars.