Thierry Henry takes aim at Kylian Mbappe for role in Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid struggles
Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid is not going to plan thus far with the ex-PSG man upsetting the balance at the European champions with other players feeling the impact
by Samuel Meade · The MirrorThierry Henry claims Jude Bellingham is having to do the role of Kylian Mbappe - who is yet to hit his straps at Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his long awaited move to the Spanish capital in the summer but has massively underwhelmed thus far. Mbappe and Real are struggling for form and results with their Champions League reverse against AC Milan their latest setback.
Mbappe joined the Champions League winners just months ago, where Bellingham had been among the main men. The forward's arrival was always going to require tweaks to the starting XI and the system, but Carlo Ancelotti is yet to get the best from the ex-PSG man.
Henry has commented on how Bellingham, who was talismanic in his debut year, is consistently performing the duties that would usually fall at Mbappe's doorstep with the European champions struggling to click.
He told CBS Sports: “It’s almost always Bellingham that tries to make the runs, makes the team play. He is still the one who tries to break the lines. Who is running and trying to get to the finish line? It’s Bellingham that is doing Mbappe’s job. This can happen from time to time, but not all the time.
"Do you think Bellingham likes to do these runs to stretch the team? He does it because he has the desire and the will to do it. You have to give him time, but he must learn to play as a 9 and have the desire and the will to do so. I think the team is frustrated with him, which I can understand.”
Mbappe excelled when playing from the left during his time in Paris. That is also the role he's played largely for France. So far for Los Blancos the Frenchman has scored eight times in 15 outings and Karim Benzema believes he's struggling to play through the middle.
He told El Chiringuito: "The problem for me is that Mbappé is not a centre forward. Whenever he plays for France as a 9, he does not perform well; it is not his position. The issue is that on the left, there is another player who is at the same level as him."
Recently Mbappe tasted defeat in his first Clasico as Real were hammered by Barcelona, who ran riot at the Bernabeu. The Catalans recorded a 4-0 victory and sit top of La Liga with Los Blancos nine points further back.
Ancelotti recently called out Mbappe's work rate - or lack of - and claimed the lack of work he is doing when the team are out of possession is harming them.
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