Mbappe hit ´rock bottom´ after missed penalty at Athletic

Kylian Mbappe says he hit “rock bottom” with a penalty miss at Athletic Bilbao earlier this month, but used his disappointment to fuel him.

The Frenchman left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season as the French club’s all-time top scorer but struggled to adapt to his new surroundings at Real Madrid.

Hamstring and thigh injuries have also hampered his settling-in time, but since missing his second penalty in a week in a 2-1 loss to Athletic, Mbappe has scored four goals in all competitions, including the opener in Sunday’s 4-2 LaLiga win over Sevilla.

In fact, he has now scored six goals in his last eight games in all competitions, taking his season tally to 13 goals in all competitions, while also laying on a further three assists in 23 outings.

“I took a lot of positives from the Bilbao game. I hit rock bottom,” he told Real Madrid TV.

“I missed a penalty and I realised at that moment I have to give my all for this shirt and play with personality.”

In LaLiga, Mbappe has 10 goals in 16 appearances, helping Madrid end the calendar year second in the table, just a point behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

He also netted the opener in their 3-0 victory over Mexican side Pachuca as they won the Intercontinental Cup final last Wednesday, becoming just the third player to score in each of his first two finals for the club across all competitions in the last 10 years, after Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio.

“I can score a lot more, I know I have a lot more to give. The last few games I’ve played better,” he added.

“I think we now know each other better. I’ve joined the team and that changed a lot of things. The settling-in period is over, as the coach says. I feel very comfortable in the team and I play better with the others on the pitch.”

Madrid next travel to face Valencia in LaLiga on January 3.