WHAT HAPPENED?
According to former Marseille player Eric Di Meco, the “coexistence” between two similar forward players in Mbappe and Vinicius Jr was always going to be “difficult”. And with the Frenchman being such a “mental and sporting monster”, De Meco believes the Brazilian’s form is suffering as a result.
MBAPPE HAS “CRUSHED” VINICIUS JUNIOR
Di Meco said on Super Moscato Show, via AS: “Signing Mbappé was Florentino Pérez’s dream. He has followed his dream. Madrid’s sporting dream too, because Mbappé is a player that everyone wants to have in the squad. However, you are putting two roosters in the same henhouse.
“We suspected that the coexistence between Mbappé and Vinicius would be difficult. Florentino Perez told himself that Ancelotti would solve the problems in the dressing room. First we asked ourselves if Mbappé would be able to adapt to this team that had won a lot.
“At the beginning of the season we said to ourselves: ‘Oh, there is going to be a problem and he is the one who is going to pay for it’. But we forgot that Mbappé is a mental and sporting monster. With his performances and his attitude, he is starting to make Vinicius crack. Mbappé is crushing him.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Mbappe has been firing on all cylinders of late, Vinicius has struggled for goals and form since December 2024. The 24-year-old was initially out with a muscle injury and then was sent off against Valencia later that month. And the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up, who may have been distracted by Saudi Arabia links, hasn’t scored in La Liga since early November.