Former Real Madrid midfielder defends Mbappe and calls for serious self reflection | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid midfielder Alvaro Benito has weighed in on the situation surrounding Kylian Mbappe during his debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

As the French superstar continues to draw attention, especially after receiving whistles from the home fans when his image was shown on the stadium screen, Benito has stepped forward to defend him and urge the club to carry out a complete review of the campaign.

Mbappe’s first year at Real Madrid has been filled with expectations, and not all of them have been met.

With doubts over his fitness ahead of the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona, criticism has also surfaced from the stands. But Álvaro Benito believes the criticism is misdirected.

Speaking to SER (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Benito stated, “The truth is, Mbappe is well above the level of the rest of the team this season.”

Benito acknowledged that Mbappe and Vinicius have drawn attention for not meeting every expectation, but feels the blame placed on them ignores larger issues affecting the entire team.

“There are at least 20 other players who should be hiding more than he should. People expect the most from those who can offer the most, which is why he and Vinicius have become scapegoats.”

Deeper issues must be addressed

Benito has defended Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Regardless of how the remainder of the season plays out, Benito believes that Real Madrid must take time to reflect properly.

“We need to see how the season finishes, but no matter what, a full and honest review must be done,” he said.

“Even if they win the Copa del Rey or the upcoming league clash against Barcelona, that doesn’t mean everything is fine. A serious internal analysis is necessary.”

Benito also highlighted that the forwards have been working in difficult circumstances. “There’s been a lot of talk about their poor defensive effort, and I’m not here to defend that.

In his view, Real Madrid’s problems stretch far beyond the forwards, pointing to the team’s lack of structure and overall balance.

“But the truth is, the team hasn’t created enough favourable attacking situations for them. Mbappe and Vinícius have had to create nearly everything on their own,” he concluded.