Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe: 'My defensive work can be a problem'

The 26-year-old has been Los Blancos' most decisive player this season, scoring freely and creating chances, but critics have pointed to his defensive contributions as a potential weakness.

"I'm a player who defends a little less than others, and sometimes that can be a problem," Mbappe said in a interview on Aurelien Tchouameni's podcast.

"It's true that I do it less, but I notice that when I do, it really impacts the team. At Real Madrid, when I do it, you can see that everyone else is doing it too. I get criticised for that, and it doesn't bother me, because it's constructive criticism."

Mbappe's comments echo earlier remarks by France coach Didier Deschamps, who warned journalists not to expect the forward to cover 11 kilometres per match. Real's current coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, has also adjusted the team's approach to protect Mbappe and Vinicius Junior from pressing too much, focusing on conserving their energy for attacking moments.

The challenge now is whether Arbeloa can maintain this balance in key games. Past Real Madrid line-ups with Mbappe, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham have sometimes struggled defensively in big matches, while the team appeared more solid in clashes without Mbappe and Bellingham.

Real Madrid will look to continue their title push when they visit Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday, with attention on whether Mbappe can combine his attacking brilliance with enough defensive discipline to help the team in crucial moments.

READ MORE: PSG boss Luis Enrique shifts focus to upcoming Liverpool clash