Derby Reveals Vinicius and Mbappé Still Clashing on the Pitch

By Jesús Mata, Marca

The Madrid derby at the Metropolitano once again left Real Madrid with more questions than answers. The 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid not only resulted in a loss and sharp criticism from José Mourinho regarding the officiating, but it also brought to the forefront a long-standing issue that has become particularly evident in the performance of their two biggest stars. Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé continue to hinder each other on the pitch.

The heat maps for both players during the match are telling. Vinicius is heavily concentrated in the left sector, as is typical for him, but also occupies central areas. Mbappé, on the other hand, nominally starts as a striker in Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 formation, yet his range of action also extends to the left. The result is a significant overlap of the two players in the same spaces. It's the same old story.

This is by no means a new problem. Since the French star's arrival two years ago, Vinicius and Mbappé have seemed destined to clash, with their periods of good form often out of sync: when one hits top gear, the other struggles. This pattern has persisted under four different coaches: Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa, and Mourinho.

At the Metropolitano, neither player managed to translate this coexistence into effective attacking play. According to Opta data, Real finished the match with a mere 0.32 expected goals (xG) – their lowest figure in a La Liga match since February 2015. Mbappé managed only one shot, while Vinicius had two before being substituted in the 54th minute.

The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that, in the same week, France's new national team coach, Zinedine Zidane, hinted in his first press conference that he is very keen on Kylian playing on the left wing. French sources like RMC Sport even claim that the coach has already contacted the Real Madrid player to inform him that he will indeed play in that position under him.

This is an endless problem that will continue to be a talking point among Real Madrid fans after the painful derby loss. It coincides with a difficult period for the team, and especially for the Brazilian, while Jan Diomande is knocking on the door, having been one of the few bright spots for the team in yet another defeat at the Metropolitano. For now, the ball is in Mourinho's court.