Carlo Ancelotti has denied that Kylian Mbappé's form is the reason for Real Madrid's struggles this season, saying "it's a collective problem, not an individual one." Mbappé has scored just two goals in his last nine Madrid games,

Sport says Real president Florentino Perez has asked their former coach to speak with Mbappe to help rebuild his confidence. The two have a close relationship, and it was, among other things, Zidane, who has been both a player and head coach at Real Madrid, who persuaded Mbappé to switch from PSG to Real this summer.

Real Madrid is out of sorts, and the Frenchman is part of that. As such, the glare falls on him. He’s the story, a dialed-down, diluted version of the soccer phenom he was upon arrival in Spain. A dizzied surfer unable to ride the waves he once could.