Kylian Mbappe Has Arrived in Madrid!

It was the moment that all Real Madrid fans waited. They had to wait until the third game to see it all unfold. But it was finally worth it. 

Two games into the La Liga season, the fans were getting restless. Mbappe had still not opened his scoring. Despite scoring a goal in the UEFA Super Cup, the fans felt like the French superstar was trailing. 

It even led to several heated discussions across fan forums and reseller forums, such as Seatsnet, where Spanish fans expressed dissent. It was not looking good. 

But in the third game against Real Betis, Kylian Mbappe was in full swing. A goal and a second off a penalty showed the world that he had arrived in Spain. 

Kylian Mbappe insisted he was relaxed about his slow start to life at Real Madrid and is confident the goals will come.

Mbappe finally broke his duck in La Liga last night, scoring both goals as the European champions beat Real Betis 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

His first came following a clever back heel from Federico Valverde and the second from the penalty spot as Madrid moved up to second in the table, four points behind early pacesetters Barcelona.

Mbappe joined from Paris Saint-Germain over the summer amid great fanfare, but the French captain says he has never felt pressure outside of settling in with his new teammates.

He said: “The pressure I have is to adapt to the team. I’ve scored goals all my career,; I’llscore goals for sure. The goals will come. Three games [without scoring] are a lot for me, but it’s okay, I have the confidence of my team-mates.

“There’s no pressure, it’s football. I have my quality. I’m here to be Kylian. There’s no pressure. I’m happy, I want to work.”

He mentioned his opening goal on Real Madrid TV: “It was a great moment. I’ve been waiting to score at this legendary stadium, the best in the world. The fans give me a lot of affection, even when I wasn’t scoring.”

After netting in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, Mbappe failed to score in games against Real Mallorca, Real Valladolid and Las Palmas.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti says he was not concerned by the 25-year-old’s form and was more interested in the team’s output than focusing on individuals.

“We’ve never put pressure on him to score goals,” Ancelotti said. “Kylian had a good game. He was very effective in the area; he took his chances, and he worked hard.

Tickets for the Real Madrid opener were in high demand, even on trusted ticket resellers such as Seatsnet for tickets. The demand subsided for the second game, but with the Mbappe brace, it will only increase. 

Vinicius Jnr Says – Team Will Bow Out If there are More Racial Slurs

Vinícius Jr. breaks down in tears. The painful toll of the racism he faces with uncomfortable regularity when playing for Real Madrid is clear to see in his face.

That was back in April when Vinícius was asked by reporters ahead of Brazil’s international against Spain about his ongoing fight against racism. He said it had reduced his desire to continue playing soccer.

The racist incidents directed towards him in Spain include an effigy of the Brazilian being hanged from a bridge before his side’s clash against city rival Atlético Madrid in January 2023 and persistent racial abuse in a match against Valencia later that year.

Racist slurs have also been caught on camera during Real’s matches at Osasuna, Mallorca, Real Valladolid and Barcelona.

Fast-forward five months, and Vinícius is rewatching footage of that emotional press conference. He says opening up was a struggle but necessary.

“Talking about racism is always very difficult because, in the last season here in Madrid, it happened to me a lot – and it’s not even close to what normal people suffer in the streets,” he tells the media. 

“So that interview was very important not only for me but for all the people who trust me and give me strength so I can keep fighting for all Black people who suffer daily.

“Each day, I have more strength and more wisdom to be able to talk about it and to be able to be – not a shield – but someone who will defend them every time I can talk about racism, about all those people who suffer a lot across the world.”

Vinícius is encouraged by progress being made in the fight against racism. “Today,” he says, “I already see and feel the difference in Spain.

“Today – maybe [some fans] are still racists – but nowadays they are afraid to express themselves in the football field, and in places where there are a lot of cameras.

“And with that, we will reduce racism, little by little. Of course, we won’t be able to end it, but I’m already happy that I’m being able to change Spain’s mindset.”

In June, a court in Valencia made history by ordering eight-month prison sentences for three men who made racist remarks and gestures toward Vinícius at a La Liga match against Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in May 2023.

Injury Update 

Real Madrid faces a new concern within its squad after confirming an injury to their left-back, Ferland Mendy. According to a statement by the French Football Federation, the defender is suffering from a strain in his right tibia, forcing his return to Madrid to continue his recovery. 

This injury prevents him from participating in France’s upcoming international matches, leading to the call-up of Lucas Digne in his place.

Dani Ceballos Suffers Serious Injury at Real Madrid

Mendy and other Real Madrid players, such as Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, were in France. However, after an evaluation by the French medical staff, it was decided that the player should return to Spain to be examined by the club’s specialists.

Although the initial diagnosis points to a tibia strain, Real Madrid is expected to conduct its own tests to confirm the severity of the injury. This type of issue is familiar to Mendy, who has had similar problems during his development as a footballer, making his right tibia a particularly sensitive area.

Fortunately for Carlo Ancelotti’s team, early reports suggest that the injury is not severe and that Mendy could be available for the next league match against Real Sociedad. Despite the initial concern, it seems that the left-back may recover in time and may not require an extended period on the sidelines, which is a relief for the club that already has a crowded injury list with players like Dani Ceballos, Eduardo Camavinga, and Jude Bellingham.

In the meantime, Mendy will continue his recovery at Valdebebas under the supervision of Real Madrid’s medical staff, hoping to be at 100% for the team’s upcoming challenges.

UEFA Champions League group stage tickets will soon be available on trusted ticket reseller platforms like Seatsnet.