'It is up to Kylian Mbappe to adapt to Vinicius Jr.' - Real Madrid star told the onus is on him to change his game

Kylian Mbappe needs to take the responsibility of improving his on-field chemistry with Real Madrid star man Vinicius Jr. in order to turn a corner and thrive at the club, according to former France midfield maestro Robert Pires. Mbappe has, so far, failed to live up to his reputation as one of the best players in the world and has been overshadowed by Vini's exploits at times.

Real Madrid haven't had the best of starts to this season, falling six points behind Barcelona in the LaLiga title race after only 12 matchdays. Meanwhile, they have already lost twice in the Champioons League group stage. The struggles of Carlo Ancelotti and Co. have coincided with Mbappe's lack of killer punch in front of goal.

The Frenchman has scored eight goals in 16 games in all competitions, but has scored just once in the team's last seven games. In the same duration, his strike partner Vini Jr. has notched two hat-tricks, taking his contribution for the season to 12 goals and seven assists in 17 games in all competitions.

Pires, thus, opined that Mbappe must adapt to Vini's status as 'the' left-winger of the team and mould his game to become a more well-rounded No. 9.

Appearing on Egyptian television channel MBC MASR 2 (h/t MARCA), Pires said: "He is facing strong criticism in both France and Spain, as he is not at his best. Currently, he is not decisive for Real Madrid and is not scoring or creating many goal-scoring opportunities.

“Real Madrid fans had high expectations for Mbappe since his arrival. However, changing country, team and team-mates is not easy, especially when it comes to a club with the best players on the planet. Mbappe must face these criticisms, change his style of play, recognize that he is not at his best and improve his performance."

Mbappe's misfiring start to his chapter in the Spanish capital has been blamed to the presence of Vini Jr, who is unchanged as the team's undisputed left winger. Pires, though, diasgreed: "Mbappe dreamed of playing for Real Madrid. He knows perfectly well that Vinícius, who is an exceptional player, plays in the same position as him, is decisive and scores a lot of goals. Mbappe must adapt to this situation and to the different tactics of the team.

"Turning down Real Madrid is difficult for any player. The solution is for Mbappe to adapt to Real Madrid's tactical style, and it is Ancelotti's job to find tactical solutions that suit both Mbappe and Vinícius."

Mbappe was surprisingly left out of the France squad by Didier Deschamps for this month's Nations League fixtures, sparking rumours of a potential rift between Les Bleus boss Deschamps and the French captain. He'll stay back in Valdebebas to rediscover his best form ahead of Madrid's next game, a visit to Leganes on November 24.