Champions League: Will Kylian Mbappe adapt to new role at Real Madrid?

Real Madrid insiders have been surprised by the humility, attitude and absence of diva traits Mbappe has shown since his arrival – although it has not surprised those who know him best.

He has adapted well to whatever has been put in front of him, despite perhaps not having been so accommodating in the past.

As an 18-year-old at PSG under manager Unai Emery, he told the club not only that he had to play every game but also where he had to play, which most certainly was not as a number nine.

When Luis Enrique played him as a number nine he could not deal with it.

Now with Real Madrid he plays as a number nine, having fewer touches of the ball and being less involved.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has given him licence to move as he wishes, but when he moves towards the left he ends up clashing with Vinicius, who has as great – if not greater – reluctance to play as a number nine as Mbappe.

But that is not Ancelotti’s only problem.

Without the retired Toni Kroos in the line-up there is no fluidity to the football of Real Madrid. This makes it difficult for the forwards, who are not able to rely on the invaluable support of their team-mates as they have in the past.

With Vinicius not in the greatest form, Mbappe cut a frustrated figure in his first few matches for Madrid with his runs not being spotted by those around him.

He has still scored four goals in six games, although two have come from the penalty spot. Initially he was not scoring as he would have liked, including going three games without a goal – but only a section of the media put him under pressure.

In big games Ancelotti will almost certainly play Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo. But often, like Saturday’s 2-0 win at Real Sociedad, it will be in a 4-4-2, so Vinicius and Mbappe can decide among themselves what to do and who goes where.

One problem Ancelotti most certainly has not got is Mbappe’s attitude, which has been exemplary.

Someone at the club told me recently: “Do we really need to adapt Mbappe to the club? We don’t need to because he is the best player in the world.”

And they added that “the biggest surprise is how little of a superstar he assumes himself to be”.

Speaking to journalists after scoring twice against Real Betis, Mbappe said: “It is me who has to adapt. When a player like me arrives, many things change and it would be crazy if I didn’t think so and overcome that.”