Real Madrid suffered a 1-0 defeat to Athletic Club on Wednesday, their fifth loss in 11 games. Kylian Mbappé‘s missed penalty, his second in a week, has intensified scrutiny of the French forward’s recent performances. Despite the pressure, manager Carlo Ancelotti defended Mbappé, urging fans to remain patient.

Mbappé’s penalty miss in the 68th minute, saved by Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, proved costly. This followed a similar miss against Liverpool last week, where Caoimhin Kelleher saved his spot kick. The missed opportunity underscored Mbappé’s recent struggles and has raised concerns among supporters.

Ancelotti, facing intense pressure following Madrid’s Champions League struggles and this latest LaLiga setback, defended Mbappé: “He missed the penalty, but I can’t be assessing the game on the basis of one penalty because you might score or not,” Ancelotti told reporters.

Ancelotti was asked if the Frenchman will continue to take penalties and was categorical: “There are no changes. Our penalty takers are Mbappé, Vini and Jude. The one who shoots is good.”

“Mbappé is upset, he’s disappointed, but we have to keep going. He’s not at his best level, but you have to give him time to adapt. He’s scored 10 goals, and he’s working to do better.” Barcelona has capitalized on Real Madrid’s recent struggles, gaining ground in the LaLiga title race.

Upcoming challenges

Real Madrid faces a challenging schedule ahead. A match against Girona on Saturday, December 7th, followed by a trip to face in-form Atalanta on Tuesday, December 10th, will test the team’s ability to respond to recent setbacks and pressure.

Ancelotti’s unwavering support for Mbappé highlights the manager’s belief in the player’s potential. Whether Mbappé can regain his top form and help lead Real Madrid to victory in these upcoming crucial fixtures will define the team’s ability to recover from a challenging period. The pressure is on both the player and the team to demonstrate their ability to perform consistently at the highest level.