Former Real Madrid midfielder Alvaro Benito mentioned that the lack of defensive contributions from Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius is impacting the team’s performance. It was noted that Los Blancos suffered a defeat against Real Betis in LaLiga on Saturday but managed to win 2-1 against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 match last night. In his comments to El Larguero, Benito emphasized that both Mbappe and Vinicius have not met the minimal defensive responsibilities expected of them. Carlo Ancelotti has specifically mentioned that both Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius are not contributing enough defensively, which is causing issues for the team. When Mbappé and Vinicius perform well, the central midfielders can stay back more and support the central defenders, reducing the team’s vulnerability. Similar to what occurred during the Manchester City match, this year Real Madrid is struggling with defending aggressively in the opponent’s half, especially against strong rivals. In key moments, teams are able to elevate their play, control the game, and overpower them.
