Real Madrid losses rare opportunity thanks to Mbappe

Hailed as one of football’s brightest stars, Kylian Mbappe is facing mounting pressure after missing his second penalty in just a week, contributing to Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Athletic Club.

The loss marks Los Blancos’ fourth in their last seven outings, a worrying slump for the reigning LaLiga champions.

The match at San Mamés swung on key moments, with Athletic Club taking the lead through Alex Berenguer’s 53rd-minute strike.

Madrid had a golden opportunity to equalize when they were awarded a penalty, but Mbappé’s hesitant and underpowered effort was comfortably saved by Julen Agirrezabala.

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Real Madrid did manage to pull level in the 78th minute, thanks to Jude Bellingham’s predatory instincts. But just a minute later, a lapse in concentration by Federico Valverde handed Gorka Guruzeta the chance to seal a famous victory for Athletic.

The spotlight has fallen firmly on Mbappé, who took to Instagram to accept responsibility:

“Bad result. A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it’s the best time to change this situation and show who I am.”

His statement reflects a commitment to bounce back, but fans are beginning to question whether the French superstar is struggling to cope with the weight of expectations at Madrid.

This latest setback leaves Real Madrid four points behind league leaders Barcelona, albeit with a game in hand. It means Real Madrid have lost their one chance to go top of Barcelona on equal number of games.