Kylian Mbappe slams Real Madrid team-mates for lack of 'desire' & claims Los Blancos not a 'team of champions' after falling into UCL play-offs

A top-eight finish in the league phase would have secured automatic passage to the last 16, but lines were fluffed in spectacular fashion in Lisbon. Real, who are working under interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa following the sacking of Xabi Alonso, rarely looked like getting the job done at Estadio da Luz.

They did take the lead, as Mbappe bagged the first of his two goals on the night, but trailed by half-time and were always chasing the game from there. Benfica, with former Blancos boss Jose Mourinho at the helm, ultimately prevailed 4-2.

A 98th minute header from keeper Anatoliy Turbin saw them sneak into the play-offs, while Real were condemned to ninth place and may have to go through Benfica again in order to keep their dreams of continental glory alive.

Mbappe was less than impressed by what he witnessed in Portugal, with the World Cup-winning Frenchman telling reporters: “It isn't about quality, and it isn't about tactics. It's about having more desire than your opponent.

“You could see that everything was on the line for Benfica, and you couldn't see that for us, and that's a problem. Before the game, both teams had something to play for: us being in the top eight, and Benfica being among the 24. We saw it from Benfica, but you didn't see it from us.

“I don't have a clear explanation. It wasn't the same [at Benfica] as against Villarreal, and that's a problem. We aren't being consistent in our play. We have to solve that. We can't do it one day, and then not another. A team of champions doesn't do that. We have two more games, and that hurts a bit. We wanted to have time in February to work on our play, and instead we'll play the play-offs.”

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Mbappe went on to say, with the 27-year-old clearly irked by Real’s lack of consistency - with a humbling Copa del Rey defeat at Albacete being followed by two La Liga victories and a 6-1 mauling of Monaco in Europe: “What we did today was not normal. We had a clear goal of finishing in the top eight to have two fewer games and lighten the load, but we started very poorly.

“They deserved to score first. We had one chance and scored. I thought that would get us into the game, but it was the opposite. They were better and if they had gone into the break 5-1 up, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone.

“We came out with the intention of changing what had happened. We conceded a goal that hurts a little because it came from a direct play, and from there the game was over. When you’re a goal down, you try to push, but the opponent wastes time and that’s part of the game. We didn’t set the pace or show enough creativity to create clear chances.”

Mbappe said of seeing Ukrainian keeper Turbin find the back of the net: ”The fourth goal doesn’t change anything, but it’s a bit embarrassing.”

Reports in Spain, from ABC Sports, claim that Mbappe is growing “increasingly irritated by what he sees as an irresponsible attitude from some of his team-mates during a season that is starting to unravel at key moments”.

He demands the highest standards of himself, with 36 goals being recorded this season through 29 appearances, and expects others to tow the same line. That has not always been the case in a campaign that has delivered more change off the field and some uncomfortable questions on it.

Real will discover the identity of their play-off opponents - either Benfica or Bodo/Glimt - when the draw takes place on Friday. They will then be back in domestic action on Sunday when playing host to Rayo Vallecano.