If anyone told you at the beginning of the season that Monaco will be in the semifinals of the Champions League and ahead of PSG with four games to go, you would have told me ‘Leicester strikes only once”. Apparently not.
Amidst their brilliance and vibrant football, this season has emerged an 18-year-old who has drawn comparisons with Thierry Henry. To be honest, those comparisons are flattering – to Henry. Even at his prime the Arsenal legend would have been proud of a 23 goals season.
That has naturally linked Kylian Mbappe with the best teams in the world, and with the sound of the things, the now French international will leave at the end of the season. The hypothesis is that Barcelona and Real Madrid will lock horns for his signature, and if that happens, the striker will have a decision in his hands.
So here’s hoping he reads Sportskeeda, and here’s why he should choose Real Madrid over Barcelona.
#5 His style of play
On his day, Mbappe is fast, deceptive and an excellent finisher. He runs in behind, stretches the defence or comes in from the left with another number 9 supporting him.
Barcelona have a fixed system of play, in which they have played in the last decade or so, they keep the ball, play short and attack through the middle. With that system, if Mbappe plays in it, his most important attribute of running in behind will be nullified.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, prefer a counter-attacking system, very similar to what Mbappe is used to in Monaco and with the players the Los Blancos have it is unlikely to change soon.
#4 Messi – Suarez – Neymar
There is the whole debate about MSN or BBC being better, but this season there has been only one winner. BBC have scored 57 goals in all competitions, whereas MSN have scored a staggering 97 goals in all competitions.
Of course, the likes of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have been out for large chunks of the season, but at the moment, BBC looks like an easier wall to climb. There are obviously rumours linking Benzema to Premier League clubs in the summer, but whether that is true is anybody’s guess.
But, the youngster is definitely capable of taking on the mantle from his fellow countrymen.
#3 He can learn from Cristiano Ronaldo
There are so many similarities between the two that you can’t even call him the ‘next Cristiano Ronaldo’. He is just about there, but for the 18-year-old to be under the tutelage of his ‘idol’ would be brilliant for the youngster.
Also, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the most hardworking players in modern football, and for Mbappe to see him work day in day out will be a blessing for the Frenchman.
#2 The group of young players coming through at Real Madrid
There is no doubt that Real Madrid have an excellent core of young players in their squad at the moment. The likes of Isco, Casemiro, Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vázquez, Alvaro Morata and Mateo Kovai have given the present Real Madrid a real youth makeover.
With a young manager and one of the best young players in the world, the Bernabeu crowd might bear witness to a group of young players developing together. A la Class of 92 in Madrid.
#1 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has been at Real Madrid for one full season and half of the previous season. They have won the Champions League, finished second in the La Liga and are the favourites to win the Champions League and the La Liga.
Even then he somehow fails to get the credit he deserves, but his greatest boon to the team has been his ability to use the squad well. The younger players, the likes of Asensio and Kovai have got a lot of playing time and have improved considerably through the season.
When he "He almost signed for Real Madrid but then he went to Monaco,” Zidane said earlier in the season, "We know he's a good player, what he's doing at his age is fantastic, but that's it. What I'm interested in is what we are going to do tomorrow. But he was about to sign here, yes."
There you have it, he has his eyes on him and will be probably the best to nurture his prodigious talent.
