Kylian Mbappé will join Real Madrid in a few weeks once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires. The 25-year-old will have massive expectations on his shoulders, and one FC Barcelona player believes the team could struggle out of the gate.
With the addition of the Frenchman, Barcelona face an uphill battle to stay in the title race with Real Madrid. Nonetheless, Robert Lewandowski believes that the Catalan side can edge Los Blancos in the La Liga title race.
“It’s not official yet, but it seems all signs are pointing towards him joining Real Madrid,” Lewandowski told MARCA (h/t Bernabéu Digital). “Are we worried? No, of course not. He’s an incredible player, and if he goes to Real Madrid, they’ll be a very strong team.
“We need to be ready from the very first match and the very first minutes because Real Madrid will likely need some time to find their rhythm. They might not play well at the beginning and could drop points, and we have to take advantage of that. Not just to catch up with them, but to stay ahead of them.”
Mbappé will not be participating in the Olympics this summer, as the Spanish team have no plans to let their incoming standout compete. Moreover, once UEFA Euro 2024 and his summer vacations are over, they expect him to join the team’s preseason training in August under coach Carlo Ancelotti.
If Barcelona can take advantage of Real Madrid’s attempt to gel early in the 2024-25 season, it might help them create a buffer between first and second place in La Liga. Still, there’s the possibility that there are no early issues, and Real Madrid are a well-oiled machine.