Only 10 Goals with Three Serious Incidents
Real Madrid’s Major Weakness: Mbappé Fears Headers!
Kylian Mbappé’s weakness in headers has been a significant issue for Real Madrid this season.
According to reports, Real Madrid’s lack of tactical solutions, inability to adapt during matches, and over-reliance on individual brilliance led to their elimination from the Champions League. Despite having some of the world’s biggest stars, they failed to find answers against Arsenal.
One symbolic image of this failure was Madrid’s inability to capitalize on 43 crosses delivered in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé at the center of the issue.
Mbappé is Not a Target Man
Everyone knows the French star is not a classic No. 9. Thibaut Courtois pointed this out after the match: “They (Arsenal) defend well, press high. Finding space is tough. We delivered many crosses but lacked someone like Joselu to win aerial duels.”
This statement highlights Madrid’s lack of an aerial threat and indirectly questions Mbappé’s role and Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics.
Alarming Stats: Only 10 Headed Goals
Mbappé has never been dominant in the air. Of his 323 career goals, only 10 have been headers (0.03%). None of these were for Real Madrid, with his last headed goal coming against amateur side Revel in the French Cup on January 7, 2024.
Since then, his aerial performance has been poor. Why does Mbappé avoid headers? The answer isn’t just tactical—it’s psychological. He has suffered three traumatic incidents:
- August 2016: A severe collision with Guingamp’s Christophe Kerbrat left him concussed and stretchered off.
- 2018 at PSG: A clash with Lyon’s goalkeeper caused another concussion.
- Euro 2020: A collision with Austria’s Kevin Danso broke his nose, leaving him bloodied and dazed.
Player or System Problem?
The key question: Is the issue Mbappé’s aerial weakness or Ancelotti’s system? Madrid has long relied on crosses as a last resort—Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Rodrygo, and Joselu have all scored crucial headers. But with Mbappé up front against Europe’s best defense, this approach fails.
Madrid must either rebuild their attack to suit this style or change their tactics. Last season, Jude Bellingham’s late runs and Joselu’s impact worked. This year, without them, the system struggles. Madrid has the tools but must use them better.
