Spanish journalists didn't mince their words as they offered a scathing assessment of Kylian Mbappe's Champions League display against Arsenal.
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Mbappe limped off after ineffective displayFailed to score a single goal across both legs vs ArsenalSpanish journalists made reference to RonaldoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Spanish journalists were absolutely furious at Kylian Mbappe's woeful display on Wednesday night in the Champions League against Arsenal, providing a scathing assessment of the player by asserting that he is nowhere never the level of Real Madrid all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe failed to find the back of net in either leg of the quarter-finals against the Premier League side as Madrid lost 5-1 on aggregate.
AdvertisementGetty'FORGET ABOUT MBAPPE BEING THE NEW RONALDO'
On Cadena SER's radio program several Spanish journalists broke down Mbappe's unimpressive performance at the Bernabeu, with Tomas Roncero urging fans to stop believing in Mbappe as the second coming of Ronaldo.
"We thought Mbappe was coming to establish what he already was in Paris, the player who won a World Cup and almost another with France, and boy, apart from the day at City when he scored a hat-trick… It's not that he doesn't try, it's that I don't see him as decisive," said Roncero. "You can see him anxious. People have wanted to see in Mbappe a new Cristiano and he is light years ahead. Cristiano is one of a kind. Whoever thought that Mbappe is the new Cristiano should forget it, and not in a negative way, it's because Cristiano was at such a wild level that it's foolish. We have to ask Mbappe to be more unbalanced, but he hasn't pulled out the top hat from the City game again. Today, instead of vindicating himself after [the Alaves game], he left [the pitch] injured. People are telling him that we need him"
On the other hand, Antonio Romero pointed out that the Bernabeu didn't applaud Mbappe when he left the field with an ankle injury, but showed their support for Brahim Diaz, who replaced the Frenchman off the bench.
"When Mbappe was substituted, I said on Carrusel that the Bernabeu sounded a bit strange," said Romero. "But for me the worst thing is that when Brahim came on they applauded him more than when Mbappe left. It was like saying that they should have brought him on earlier. And for me that is the worst thing for Mbappe."
'WHISTLES ARE ON MBAPPE'S PAYROLL'
Julio Pulido reflected on Mbappe's substitution, and endorsed the Madrid faithful's decision to whistle the Frenchman, while also adding that he will never be a leader like Ronaldo. "These whistles are on Kylian Mbappe's payroll," he said.
"When you sign for Madrid and you are theoretically the best footballer in the world, on days like today the public looks at you. And what they want is for you to do your part to turn this tie around. If they see that you have not collaborated to achieve this, they whistle you. Mbappe is never going to be Cristiano Ronaldo. He has to give an account of Mbappe, he is something else: he does not have, and will not have, the leadership or the character of Cristiano."
'MBAPPE HASN'T TAKEN OVER FROM VINI'
While the other journalists focused on the parallels, or lack thereof, between Mbappe and Ronaldo, Romero talked about the dynamic between Mbappe and Vini, stating that until Mbappe's arrival, the Brazilian was the star man, and that it was the 26-year-old's responsibility to take over the leadership in attack.
He added: "The comparison between Mbappe is not with Cristiano. The comparison between Mbappe this year is with Vinicius and Madrid has lost out. Madrid's spearhead was Vinicius, this year it had to be Mbappe, and until now Real Madrid is losing because Vini is not Vini nor has Mbappe taken over from him. Comparing him with Cristiano is outrageous. That said, I think it's outrageous to question Mbappe's signing. With Mbappe, more people have to come, but right now you can't compare him with Cristiano or [Karim] Benzema."
