Mbappe's Return: Can Real Madrid Find Balance with French Star Back in Action?
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Real Madrid are back on track after beating Manchester City in the Champions League, but their campaign has been far from ideal. The team has struggled in La Liga, trailing FC Barcelona by four points, and was knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete.
Despite the absence of Kylian Mbappe, who missed the home leg against City, Real Madrid handled the Premier League heavyweights comfortably, securing a 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu and a 2-1 result at the Etihad.
Mbappe has been in outstanding form, scoring 38 goals in 33 matches, but questions remain over how much it has translated into results for Madrid. His presence raises the debate whether he brings the right balance to the team's overall setup.
Vinicius Jr has been standing up for his side in recent times, scoring a brace against City and helping Madrid get past Benfica in the playoffs. However, with Mbappe returning, Alvaro Arbeloa needs to find the right balance in the starting line-up.
The role of a traditional No. 9 is to find pockets of space inside the box and rely on service from midfielders and wingers, something that doesn’t always align perfectly with Mbappe’s natural instincts. His strengths are more suited to operating from the left, where he can take on defenders and create chaos in the final third.
With Mbappe back to full fitness, it now falls on Arbeloa to find a way to make him and Vinicius click in the same system. A possible shift to a false nine role could be explored if the manager is willing to experiment.
