English Premier League
Mbappe backs unhappy Vinicius and admits he must improve before El Clasico
Kylian Mbappe says Vinicius Junior’s disappointment is understandable because the Real Madrid forward is determined to give his best for the club and its supporters.
Vinicius produced another subdued performance as Real Madrid beat Leipzig 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday in the third round of the league phase of the Champions League.
The Brazil international started the match but was replaced by manager Jose Mourinho in the 70th minute, with team-mate Yan Diomande taking his place. Diomande made an immediate impact, assisting one goal and scoring another during his 20 minutes on the pitch.
Vinicius left the field with his head down as some Real Madrid supporters voiced their anger at his display. His form has been questioned since the beginning of the current season.
Asked about Vinicius after the victory, Mbappe told Movistar: “It’s fine. It is good for Vinicius to feel sad because he wants to give a lot to the team and the fans. He needs to remain calm and be proud of himself. He is a great player with a lot of talent.”
Mbappe also assessed his own performance and accepted that he needs to improve.
“I’m fine. I can do more,” he said in comments reported by Marca. “I am one of those players who always need to make more effort. It is never enough for a player like me.”
The victory was Real Madrid’s third in the Champions League league phase. Mbappe stressed the importance of collecting points to finish among the leading teams.
“We know that every point is important to reach the top eight,” he said. “We have to win as many matches as possible; we have won three matches.”
Real Madrid’s focus now turns to Sunday’s El Clasico against Barcelona. Mbappe said the squad had deliberately concentrated only on the Champions League fixture before beginning preparations for the weekend.
“We were thinking only about today’s match,” he said. “As for what will happen on Sunday, we can think about it now. Before that, the team was not thinking about Sunday’s match.”