PSG ‘Drained and Exhausted’ Real Madrid Newcomer Last Season, Impacting Form, Pundit Says | OneFootball

Kylian Mbappé has had a tough 2024 so far. He struggled to make an impact in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League semifinal loss to Borussia Dortmund, and his performance at UEFA Euro 2024 was underwhelming.

The challenges continued during this FIFA international break, where he couldn’t help France avoid a 3-1 defeat to Italy in their UEFA Nations League Matchday 1 contest. A loss on Matchday 2 could complicate Les Bleus’ situation in the competition and bring even more criticism onto the ex-PSG standout.

Now, several pundits are weighing in on what Mbappé needs to do to get back on track, with Bixente Lizarazu being the latest to offer his advice.

“What stands out to me about Mbappé is that he really needs to get back into top physical shape,” Lizarazu said on Téléfoot (h/t Le10Sport). “I think he needs to rediscover his passion for football. Last season, he wasn’t really playing as a footballer.

“He got caught up in conflicts and problems, which drained and exhausted him. He needs to refocus on the game and get back to his best. I hope Real Madrid can give him the opportunity to do that and get back to his previous level of acceleration and performance.”

At Real Madrid, the forward struggled for three matches but finally hit his stride with a brace against Real Betis. With the Champions League just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity for Mbappé to show he’s still at the top of his game.