Real Madrid ace Kylian Mbappe says he is finally able to play as he wants after helping Los Blancos move into top spot in LaLiga this weekend.
Mbappe starred as Madrid secured a 4-1 victory over Las Palmas, moving them above Atletico Madrid by two points.
The French forward scored twice and he looked the part in a team of superstars after a shaky start to life in Spain.
He has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, including four in his last three appearances.
“I’m really happy,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the game. “I’ve adapted to the team now and I can play as I want, with my teammates, with personality. We’re all enjoying it.
“It was an important game, we knew what had happened yesterday, with Atletico and Barcelona.
“We wanted to win, and we did. We started badly… but the reaction was ‘top’. We were on the front foot, playing fast, attacking the spaces with quality. We scored a lot of goals. We’re happy, because we’re leaders.”
💬 @KMbappe: “The team’s reaction was outstanding.”#RealMadridLasPalmas pic.twitter.com/eQTczH5BqT
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 19, 2025
This victory comes after a disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Supercopa final.
But their win over Las Palmas now has the league leaders seven points ahead of their biggest rivals.
“I’m proud of [the team’s] reaction,” Mbappe added. “Losing the Supercopa was tough, and although we played well in the cup, we made mistakes and went to extra time. But we had the personality to win. Today was very important. Now we depend on ourselves to win the league.”
Manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Mbappe’s performance, adding that he is the “best centre forward in the world.”
“People doubted if he could play there,” Ancelotti said. “He’s a great forward, who feels comfortable in the middle. His movement is unique, and playing inside, he can make the most of it.”
