Real Madrid weren't facing their most formidable opponent in history, but they had a lot riding on the match against Olympiacos. While the Casa Blanca weren't fighting for their survival in the competition, their coach, Xabi Alonso, was. Heavily criticized by the press and under pressure from within the club, the former midfielder was ultimately saved thanks to a four-goal haul from Kylian Mbappé (4-3) .
After the match, the French striker was well aware of the situation and didn't hesitate to send a message of support to his coach . "I see the team playing well. Of course, there are things to improve. When you play for a club like Real Madrid, it's normal for people to talk. We, the players, have to support each other and protect the coach ." A few moments later, Alonso returned the favor to his striker.
"It's the other eight who are trying to defend and run."
“Mbappé is very important. Goals are obviously essential, but his personality, his leadership, and his influence on others, on a daily basis, are something intangible. It’s fundamental for building a team, for having cohesion and unity. And then… the goals… that natural talent he has ,” he confided in a press conference. But yesterday, the opposing coach, José Luis Mendilibar, was also questioned about the performance of Mbappé and Vinicius Junior. Initially, he paid tribute to Real Madrid.
“It felt like we were dead. With very little ammunition, they scored goals against us very quickly. You realize you're playing against the best in the world and that there's a difference. We went out there to fight and we had our chances.” When asked about Mbappé's four goals, Mendilibar explained why the Frenchman was able to make the difference. “There are two parts to this team. The two forwards (Mbappé and Vinicius Jr.) caused us a lot of problems, but that's because they rest a lot when we have the ball. It's the other eight who try to defend and run. When they win the ball back, they're fresh to run, take on players one-on-one… and then they score almost everything they try.” That says it all.
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