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Alex Kirkland
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Rodrigo Faez
Sep 1, 2024, 07:02 PM ET
Kylian Mbappé said he hadn’t felt under pressure to score his first LaLiga goal after grabbing a brace in Real Madrid‘s 2-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday.
Mbappé scored twice in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu — the first after Federico Valverde‘s back-heel assist, and the second from the penalty spot — after three league games without finding the net.
“The pressure I have is to adapt to the team,” Mbappé said, speaking to journalists afterwards. “I’ve scored goals all my career, I’ll score goals for sure. The goals will come. Three games [without scoring] are a lot for me, but it’s OK, I have the confidence of my teammates.”
Mbappé opened his account for Madrid against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup last month, but then didn’t score against Real Mallorca, Real Valladolid and Las Palmas in LaLiga, as Madrid drew two of their first three league games.
“There’s no pressure, it’s football,” Mbappé said on Sunday. “I have my quality. I’m here to be Kylian. There’s no pressure. I’m happy, I want to work.”
Kylian Mbappe, left, shakes hands with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti after being substituted. Getty Images
Mbappé had a total of nine shots in the game against Betis but drew a blank until finding the net in the 67th minute.
“It was a great moment,” Mbappé told Real Madrid TV. “I’ve been waiting to score at this legendary stadium, the best in the world. The fans give me a lot of affection, even when I wasn’t scoring.”
“We’ve never put pressure on him to score goals,” coach Carlo Ancelotti agreed in his postmatch news conference. “Kylian had a good game. He was very effective in the area, he took his chances, he worked hard.
“It was important for him to score, but we evaluate the collective work.”
Ancelotti praised Mbappé’s teammate Vinícius Júnior, who was fouled for the penalty, but allowed Mbappé to take the spot kick.
“Vinícius was very altruistic, letting Kylian take the penalty,” Ancelotti said. “They have a good relationship.”
Madrid are now second in LaLiga, four points behind leaders Barcelona, going into the international break.
