Real Madrid Face Reality Check as Mbappe Voices Frustration

Real Madrid arrived in Lisbon knowing what was at stake. Progress was within reach. Control was possible. Instead, Benfica played with sharper intent and clearer purpose, pushing Madrid into uncomfortable spaces from the first whistle.

The 4-2 scoreline told only part of the story. Benfica chased loose balls, pressed higher, and stayed alert until the final seconds. That late goal from Anatoliy Trubin sealed Madrid’s fate and flipped the group standings on goal difference. It was a brutal way to miss automatic qualification. Silence followed the final whistle.

Mbappe’s Thought On Performance

Mbappe, who found the net twice, refused to hide behind tactics or formations. His message landed hard. The issue, he said, was desire. Benfica wanted it more. Madrid did not show the edge expected of reigning champions.

That Kylian Mbappe criticism echoed around the dressing room. Quality wasn’t questioned but the effort was.

Consistency, or the lack of it, remains the bigger concern. Strong displays have come and gone all season, never quite sticking.

Pressure Builds Before Rayo Clash

This Champions League defeat lands at a tricky moment. The season has already seen managerial change, a shock Copa del Rey exit, and uneven league form. Under Alvaro Arbeloa, progress seemed steady, but the team lacked consistency.

Sunday’s trip to Rayo Vallecano now feels heavier. Third place in LaLiga offers little comfort when standards slip on Europe’s biggest stage.

Madrid move on, but the questions stay. And so does the noise around Kylian Mbappe criticism, loud enough that no one at the Bernabeu can ignore it.

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