Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has delivered a blunt assessment of Kylian Mbappé’s impact on Carlo Ancelotti’s side following their disjointed performance against Mallorca.
In comments that are likely to send shockwaves through the Santiago Bernabéu, Bale did not hold back in his critique of the French superstar’s integration into the team.
“I’m going to be honest,” Bale said. “Real Madrid look more fluid when Mbappé isn’t there. The ball moves quicker, the front line feels natural… there’s less hesitation.”
The Welshman pinpointed a tactical friction at the heart of Madrid’s attack, arguing that the team’s identity is being compromised by an overemphasis on accommodating their marquee signing.
“When he plays, everything slows down because the team is trying to figure him out instead of just playing. And that’s a problem at a club like Madrid,” Bale added.
The most incendiary part of Bale’s analysis focused on the unresolved positional clash between Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Both players naturally gravitate toward the left channel, and Bale claims the current setup is failing both.
“The truth nobody wants to say? Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior are stepping on each other’s toes. Same spaces, same instincts, but now Mbappé is being forced into a striker role that clearly doesn’t suit him.”
Bale pointed to observable on-field issues: “You can see it, the runs don’t match, the passes are late, the chemistry just isn’t there. It’s not hate, it’s reality.”
The former Tottenham and Los Blancos winger concluded that the club faces an unavoidable crossroads.
“At some point, Madrid have to make a serious decision: build around Vinícius, who already understands the system… or reshape everything for Mbappé. But trying to force both? That’s why performances look disconnected like today.”
As of press time, neither Ancelotti nor the club have responded to Bale’s remarks. The debate over Madrid’s attacking hierarchy is now firmly in the open.
