Kylian Mbappé hasn’t scored in four straight matches in all competitions, and there’s concern over the 24-year-old’s form. Manager Luis Enrique is defending how the player is currently playing, but it isn’t stopping the analysis.
So why is the Frenchman struggling? There are plenty of opinions and thoughts on this issue. One of the pundits offering their take is Bixente Lizarazu.
The 1998 World Cup winner believes that the Paris Saint-Germain star is trying to compensate for the exits of Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Marco Verratti.
“The Parisian midfielder lacks creativity to create a link between the midfielder and the attack. It doesn’t work very well,” Lizarazu said on Téléfoot (h/t Le10Sport).
“I was talking about a lack of creativity in the middle—three very creative players. There was no compensation for that. So maybe he feels the need to instigate the actions. But his first quality is still the finish. That’s where he excels. But he probably compensates for PSG’s lack at this level.”
Mbappé injured his ankle during the 4-0 win over Olympique de Marseille, which resulted in him leaving the game early. While he didn’t miss any games, perhaps that knock might still bother him.
However, there’s speculation that the forward’s summer could be draining him after having an unusual preparation for the 2023-24 season. Furthermore, he was in constant rumors linking him to Real Madrid, so whether it’s mental, physical, or tactical, Mbappé must overcome this rough stretch of games.
