According to reports, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, two of Real Madrid’s biggest stars, were among the main culprits after the heavy defeat at the Emirates against Arsenal. Real Madrid now aims for a comeback and needs the best version of these two players.

Vinicius had the lowest pressing rate in big Champions League games at Arsenal: He pressed opponents only eight times in 90 minutes. Mbappe’s stats were even worse—just four presses!

Vinicius’ lack of defensive commitment is surprising, as he had pressed Manchester City players 42 times in last season’s quarter-finals—five times more than against Arsenal.

Mbappe has never been known for his defensive work, but he hit rock bottom at the Emirates, pressing only four times in 90 minutes—twice per half.

Last season, the French star showed better defensive commitment under Luis Enrique’s demands. Against Barcelona at Montjuïc, he pressed 11 times, while in the first leg at Parc des Princes, he made 14 defensive actions.

Bottom of the Distance Covered Rankings Among Players with 1000+ Minutes

Another stat that doesn’t favor Vinicius and Mbappe is the distance covered in the Champions League. Among 21 players with over 1000 minutes played, Real Madrid’s stars rank last and second-last in distance covered.

Vinicius ran 99.6 km in 1014 minutes of Champions League play this season, ranking second-last. Mbappe was worse, covering just 94.4 km in the same time.

Comparing this to the player with the highest distance covered is telling: Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich ran 153.1 km in 1170 minutes—over 50 km more than Vinicius and Mbappe.

Real Madrid not only needs Vinicius and Mbappe to press and run more but also to convert their chances, as they are the team’s top scorers.