Kylian Mbappé’s Struggles at Real Madrid Continue Amidst Athletic Bilbao Defeat

Kylian Mbappé's Continued Sentences With Real Madrid After Defeat of Athletic Bilbao.

His much-anticipated arrival at Real Madrid was supposed to herald the new golden era for Los Blancos. Yet, since he has worn the iconic white jersey, the Frenchman has attracted a series of unfortunate events. His fortunes took a different turn as of yesterday, when he suffered a 2-1 defeat against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés.

A Night to Forget in Bilbao

The clash with Athletic Bilbao was expected to be a headline performance by Real Madrid, which was intended to continue propelling them forward in the title race. It turned out to be an evening of unparalleled frustration, as repeated missed chances and defensive finishes turned into a rather bleak contest. 

Mbappé, like the rest, worked tirelessly but could not impose himself in a game characterized by Bilbao's defense discipline and its extraordinary high press that stifled all Madrid attacking rhythm.

Joselu saw to it that Madrid got off to a fast start as he opened the scoring in the 15th minute. But Athletic Bilbao soon found itself with a response that was immediate and decisive. 

Nico Williams was a brilliant solo effort that equalized just before halftime, exploiting a rare mistake made on Madrid's backline. The penalty awarded Raul García was a controversial VAR decision that ruled a handball against Antonio Rüdiger and brought the winner in the 78th minute.

There was a moment or two for Mbappé, including a superb effort that struck the bar and an offside goal that was disallowed. Yet that night reflected his current ills, focusing on the chances taken without any sort of tangible outcome. 

The burden of Expections

Since arriving in a mega transfer to Real Madrid, Mbappé has had a huge burden of expectations to deliver success at once. 

His talent is unquestionable, but the confluence of bad luck has not helped. For one, injuries hit him at the wrong time and disrupted any rhythm that he was building. 

Second, there have been tactical changes to accommodate other players and not him.