Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe says he is finally able to play how he wants after helping Los Blancos move to the top of La Liga this weekend.
Mbappe excelled in Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Las Palmas, which made it ahead of Atletico Madrid by two points.
The French striker scored twice and looked like part of an all-star team after a shaky start to life in Spain.
He has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, including four in his last three matches.
“I'm really happy,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the match. “I've adapted to the team now and I can play as I want with my teammates and with my personality. We're all enjoying it.
“It was an important match, we knew what happened yesterday, between Atletico and Barcelona.
“We wanted to win, and we did. We started poorly… but the reaction was 'higher'. We were on top, played fast, and attacked space with high quality. We scored a lot of goals. We are happy because we are leaders.”
💬 @KMbappe: “The team’s response was great.”#RealMadridLas Palmas pic.twitter.com/eQTczH5BqT
– Real Madrid FC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 19, 2025
This victory comes after a disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
But their win over Las Palmas put the league leaders seven points ahead of their biggest rivals.
Mbappe added: “I'm proud of (the team's) response.” He added: “Losing the Super Cup was difficult, and although we played well in the cup, we made mistakes and went to extra time. But we had the character necessary to win. Today was very important. Now we rely on ourselves to win the league.”
Technical director Carlo Ancelotti praised Mbappe's performance, adding that he is “the best striker in the world.”
“People doubted his ability to play there,” Ancelotti said. “He's a great striker, he feels comfortable in the middle. His movement is unique, and by playing inside, he can make the most of it.
