Real Madrid News
Espanyol boss highlights turning point in Real Madrid defeat: ‘The defeat hurts because…’
Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez did not hide his frustration after his side fell to a 0-2 defeat against Real Madrid.
Despite the result, the coach said that he saw positives in his team’s performance, even if the outcome did not reflect their effort.
Speaking after the match, Gonzalez first pointed to the fine margins that decided the game.
He stressed that Espanyol were competitive throughout but failed to take their chances at key moments.
“The defeat hurts because we played well. We were right in it. But you have to keep it close right until the end.”
Adding on the difference between the two sides, he pointed out that against top teams like Real Madrid, missed opportunities are often punished.
“If you don’t capitalise on your chances, they have players who can decide the outcome of matches.”
Manolo Gonzalez’s analysis
The Espanyol boss also focused on what he saw as a missed opportunity. He explained that his side performed better in the first half and even began the second half strongly.
“In the first half, we played better than them, and we even started the second half well.”
He then pointed to key chances that could have changed everything, referencing specific moments where his players came close to scoring.
“After going 0-1 down, we reacted well with several chances to score. Terrats’ chance, one from Roberto… Going 0-2 down really hurt us.”
Gonzalez believes that the match could have taken a completely different direction if Espanyol had taken the lead.
“I think if the team had taken the lead, it would have been a completely different story.
“After going 2–0 down, we really struggled. But I’ll say it again: we pinned Madrid back in their own half at the start of the second half.”
He concluded by acknowledging that despite creating multiple chances after conceding the first goal, his team simply could not maintain their push.
“After going 1–0 down, we had three chances to score. After that, we simply ran out of steam,” he concluded.
Source: AS
Real Madrid News
Kylian Mbappe fires back at critics over his Real Madrid role: ‘A player who scores goals will never be the problem’
Kylian Mbappe has started the new season for Real Madrid in great form, scoring five goals in five games so far.
The Frenchman has continued from where he left off last season, with seemingly no drop in his scoring rate, and he could have had one more had he not missed his penalty against Real Betis.
The 27-year-old superstar has pushed back against criticism of his contribution to Real Madrid, insisting that his goalscoring should not be treated as a problem.
Mbappe’s logic is that the fundamental objective of football is to outscore the opposition and that, therefore, goalscoring should never be seen as an issue.
As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Mbappe addressed the issue in an interview with L’Equipe, where he spoke openly about criticism of his defensive work and the constant scrutiny associated with him.
Mbappe responds to criticism
The Madrid forward believes people have become so accustomed to his attacking production that attention naturally shifts towards what he does not provide.
“Is it normal that people forget my goals and focus on the defensive work? No, but that is the life of someone who has been close to excellence for 10 years. I am not new to this. Everyone knows what I can do,” Mbappe said.
“It is human to look at what someone does not do. When someone has been doing something for 10 years, we stop looking at it because we know he can do it, so we look at what he is not doing. I do not take it personally.”
Mbappe’s standards are so high that scoring regularly can almost be taken for granted. However, one has to remember how remarkable that consistency is.
‘A player who scores goals will never be a problem’
Mbappe was even firmer when discussing suggestions that his goals may not necessarily translate into collective success.
“It makes no sense. If I do not score goals, they are going to ask me why I am not scoring,” he said.
“As a footballer, I have learned that there are millions of coaches in every match you play, and not all of those coaches are happy. Everyone has an opinion, but in football the objective is to score more goals than the opponent.”
Then came his clearest message.
“A player who scores goals will never be the problem of a team, because no team has ever won titles without scoring goals.”
Madrid need balance, not less of Mbappe
Mbappe’s argument is difficult to dismiss.
Even if they say “attack wins you games, defence wins you tournaments”, you cannot win games unless you score goals, and you cannot win tournaments unless you win games.
Madrid can demand more collective work from every player, especially under Jose Mourinho, without pretending elite goalscoring is somehow secondary.
The real challenge is finding the right balance.
Madrid need Mbappe to remain devastating in front of goal while fitting into the team’s pressing and defensive structure. Those demands are not one or the other.
If anything, Mourinho’s task is to build a system that protects Mbappe’s greatest strength while still making Madrid harder to play against.
Mbappe’s goals are not, and never will be, the problem. The onus is on the manager to bring those strengths out in a system that also preserves the defensive structure.
