Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé says he can finally play the way he wants after helping Los Blancos reach the top of LaLiga this weekend.
Mbappe starred as Madrid secured a 4-1 win over Las Palmas to move two points clear of Atlético Madrid.
The French striker scored twice and looked to be part of a superstar team after a rocky start to life in Spain.
He has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, including four in his last three appearances.
“I’m really happy,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the game. “I have now adapted to the team and can play how I want, with my teammates and with personality. We all have fun.
“It was an important game, we knew what happened yesterday, with Atletico and Barcelona.
“We wanted to win and we did that. We started badly… but the reaction was “great”. We were at the front, played quickly and attacked the spaces with quality. We scored a lot of goals. We are happy because we are leaders.”
💬 @KMbappe: “The team’s reaction was excellent.”#RealMadridLasPalmas pic.twitter.com/eQTczH5BqT
— Real Madrid CF 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 19, 2025
This win comes after a disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Supercopa final.
But thanks to the victory over Las Palmas, the league leaders are now seven points ahead of their biggest rivals.
“I’m proud of (the team’s) reaction,” Mbappe added. “The defeat in the Supercopa was tough and although we played well in the cup, we made mistakes and went to extra time. But we had the personality to win. Today was very important. Now we have to rely on ourselves to win the league.”
Coach Carlo Ancelotti praised Mbappe’s performance, adding he was the “best centre-forward in the world”.
“People doubted whether he could play there,” Ancelotti said. “He is a great striker who feels comfortable in the middle. His movement is unique and when he plays inside he can make the most of it.”
