Former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema feels Kylian Mbappe needs to adapt to playing as a central striker in the Spanish capital because he cannot replace Vinicius Junior on the left wing.
Mbappe completed a dream move to Madrid this summer after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired, but he has yet to reach peak form under Carlo Ancelotti.
The coach has maintained Brazil international Vinicius on the wing and moved Mbappe, who prefers to play on the left, to the centre.
“The problem, in my opinion, is that Mbappe is not a central striker; even with the national team, every time he plays as a number nine, he doesn’t feel comfortable because it’s not his natural position,” Benzema told the Spanish television show El Chiringuito on Monday night.
“On the left, he’s got someone at his level—Vinicius—so there’s a problem. You can’t play Vinicius as number nine or on the right; he’s at his best on the left, where he makes an impact in every game.
“Mbappe isn’t a true number nine. People have high expectations of him, and he’s under a lot of pressure. This isn’t Paris Saint-Germain.”
Since joining Madrid from PSG, the 25-year-old has eight goals in 14 games across all competitions.
Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid in 2022 before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad last year, told Mbappe to continue working hard to adjust to his new role.
“I’d tell him don’t give up, because I don’t think he’ll push Vinicius out of position—he’s currently the best player in the world,” Benzema continued.
“Mbappe needs to accept that, for now, he’s playing as a number nine and set aside the left flank for a while.”
Benzema, who joined Real Madrid in 2009 and remained there for 14 years, told Mbappe that “if you go two or three games without scoring, you’re going to face a lot of scrutiny.”
Real Madrid is scheduled to meet AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
