Kylian Mbappe has offered Vinicius Jr. a message of reassurance after the Brazilian endured a frustrating evening in Real Madrid’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Leipzig.
The Frenchman has insisted that his disappointment reflects his determination to perform better for the team and its supporters.
Vinicius was substituted in the 70th minute and walked towards the bench with his head down, but Mbappe stressed that the forward should remain confident in his ability.
Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois highlighted the importance of his first-half saves and explained why Madrid must carry their defensive improvement into Sunday’s crucial El Clasico against Barcelona.
Mbappe explains why Vinicius should stay confident
Vinicius did not produce his best performance against Leipzig and was replaced by Yan Diomande as Madrid managed the closing stages of the match.
Rather than viewing his teammate’s visible frustration as a concern, Mbappe suggested it demonstrated how much the Brazilian wanted to contribute.
“It’s fine. It’s fine that Vinícius is feeling down because he wants to give so much to the team and the fans.
“He needs to stay calm and be proud of who he is. He’s a great player with immense quality,” Mbappe told Movistar Plus (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
The French forward also turned the focus towards his own standards, acknowledging that he expects more from himself despite Madrid’s convincing victory.
Mbappe expressed his delight after win over RB Leipzig. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
“I’m fine. I can do more. I’m one of those players who always have to push themselves further. It’s never enough for a player like me,” he explained.
With three Champions League victories secured, Mbappe also emphasised the importance of collecting enough points to finish in the competition’s top eight.
“We know that every point is important to make it into the top eight. We have to win as many matches as possible; we’ve won three.”
Courtois reveals why his Leipzig saves mattered
Real Madrid’s four-goal victory did not tell the whole story of the opening half.
Courtois was called into action twice with the score still goalless, and his interventions helped prevent Leipzig from gaining an advantage before the Spanish side took control.
“I feel great, I’m happy, and I’m working well.
“Two important saves to keep a clean sheet at that stage and go into half-time ahead – that was important because the match can get away from you if you’re behind,” said the goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper also explained how Real Madrid responded to the coaching staff’s half-time instructions, pointing to greater defensive intensity and the depth available across the squad.
“Scoring first was important, and at half-time the manager told us to improve defensively. We improved, defended with more intensity – a good win.
Courtois made some crucial saves against Leipzig. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“The team is in great shape; we’re seeing that we can count on almost the entire squad.
“There’s a lot of competition, and we’re all making each other better.
“Now we have four away games, which is more difficult and we’re finding it tough, but we hope to go into the international break with four wins,” he said.
Real Madrid shift their attention to Barcelona
With the European fixture completed, Mbappe confirmed that the squad had deliberately avoided looking ahead to Barcelona before facing Leipzig.
The Frenchman can now turn his attention to a Clasico that could have important consequences for Madrid’s position in the La Liga title race.
“We’ve been focusing solely on today’s match. We can think about what happens on Sunday now. Before, the team wasn’t thinking about Sunday’s match.”
Courtois was equally direct about the challenge awaiting Madrid, stressing that closing the gap on Barcelona requires a victory and a disciplined defensive performance.
“We need to close the gap on them, and that can only be done by winning. We’re going into the match with confidence and hopefully we’ll defend well so we don’t concede.”