Kylian Mbappe has spoken of the “mental problem” that saw him get off to a slow start at Real Madrid.
Great things were expected from Mbappe when he moved on a free transfer to the Bernabeu from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
But the France captain did not reach his early best in the Spanish capital, at one point scoring just three times in 11 matches, a run that included three penalty misses.
Recently, the 26-year-old has regained his form, scoring four goals in his last three matches for Real Madrid.
“I think it was a mental problem, and that was the point where I realized I had to work harder,” Mbappe said ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match against Red Bull Salzburg.
“I was thinking a lot about how to do things. Whether to go into space, whether to go into Vinny's (Vinicius Junior) area of the pitch, into Rodrigo's area. When you overthink, you don't focus on your game.
“I was fine physically and with the group, but I knew I had to do more, and this was the time to turn it around.
“I'm a player who always wants to do more. And when you see that you're not doing it, it affects you.
“I can't do any worse, so when you hit rock bottom (after losing to Liverpool) you can only go up.”
Speaking about the extra pressure on his shoulders since joining Los Blancos, Mbappe added: “It's normal. People expected a lot from me.
“I don't take it personally, it's football. You have to stay calm and focused. I knew the situation could change.”
Mbappe scored a stunning goal against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup earlier this month before losing 5-2 to their fierce rival. Since then, the French striker has scored against Celta Vigo before adding a brace against La Palmas at the weekend.
“I was in good shape for a month or a month and a half,” Mbappe said. “I have full confidence in Wednesday’s match (against Salzburg) in my game and in the team.”
