Real Madrid midfield maestro Federico Valverde has heaped praise on Kylian Mbappe, saying the Frenchman deserves love and affection from his supporters.
Mbappe, 26, sealed his highly anticipated transfer to Real Madrid over the summer. His life at Real Madrid started on a high, as he found the back of the net in Los Blancos’ 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup. In La Liga, however, the story was a lot different, as he failed to find the back of the net in his first three appearances. The Frenchman eventually got off the mark, but his performances left a lot to be desired.
November was particularly tricky for Mbappe, as he missed penalties in consecutive matches. His first miss came in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League while his second one arrived in the 2-1 La Liga loss to Athletic Bilbao. In a recent interview, Mbappe said he experienced rock-bottom in the defeat against Bilbao and vowed to double down on his efforts.
Since then, the former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward has seemingly turned a corner, chipping in with four goals and three assists in his last four games across competitions.
Real Madrid Ace Fede Valverde Says Hard-Working Kylian Mbappe Deserves Fans’ Admiration
Mbappe produced one his best performances in a Real Madrid shirt on Sunday, 22nd December, as he chipped in with a goal and an assist in their 4-2 victory over Sevilla in La Liga. His goal was a thing of beauty, as he immaculately found the top-left corner of Sevilla’s goal with a thunderous strike from range.
Speaking with Real Madrid TV, Valverde, who also scored a long-range stunner against Sevilla, praised Mbappe for keeping his head down and setting an example in the dressing room.
“We have always seen him give his best,” said Valverde.
“He works and trains as hard as possible to be at his best. You can make mistakes, and have bad games or bad plays, but the important thing is to stand up and move forward. He is an example and a reference in the dressing room. He is one of the best players in the world and we have to give him affection.”
Mbappe has played 24 games for Madrid in all competitions so far, scoring 14 goals and providing four assists.
