Real Madrid are facing the most important game of the season – but superstar Kylian Mbappé is in a surprising slump in form right now. Ahead of the Champions League second leg against FC Bayern, it is not only his physical condition that is causing question marks, but above all his recent drop in efficiency in front of goal
The figures speak for themselves: the Frenchman has scored just one goal in his last seven games – an unusually poor return by his standards. Even more striking is the development of his chance conversion rate. While Mbappé only needed around four attempts to score a goal at his peak, this figure currently stands at over 25
A drastic change that is emblematic of his current crisis. The Spanish press in particular is harsh on the attacker, with Marca speaking of a „fallen Mbappé“ ahead of the Bayern second leg
Significant drop in efficiency and rhythm
A look at his minutes played also underlines the dip in form. Whereas Mbappé previously scored on average every 70 minutes, he currently needs almost 500 minutes to score a goal. For a player who for years was considered the epitome of consistency and coolness, this is a massive slump
The reasons for this are complex. In addition to minor injuries, which have repeatedly thrown him off his rhythm of late, his self-confidence also seems to have suffered. In the match against Girona in particular, it became clear that Mbappé is currently not playing with his usual ease. He missed several good chances – scenes that are otherwise hardly known from him
To make matters worse, Mbappé has not been able to train recently „due to discomfort“, according to the club. Nevertheless, the striker made his training comeback on Monday and should therefore be involved in the clash against FCB
Danger remains – despite a dip in form
Despite these figures, however, it would be negligent to write Mbappé off. His record this season, with 39 goals and six assists in 38 games, continues to show the level the Frenchman is fundamentally capable of. And this is precisely where the danger lies for FC Bayern
After all, a player like Mbappé often only needs a moment to completely turn a game around, and he has proven time and again, especially on big Champions League nights, that form curves suddenly no longer play a role
Nevertheless, the timing of his performance slump could hardly be more unfavourable for Real Madrid. Ahead of the decisive second leg in Munich, the Whites‘ biggest star is not at 100 per cent – neither physically nor athletically. For FC Bayern, this is an opportunity, but for Real, it is a real risk.