Kylian Mbappe was unhappy not immediately after getting off the Real Madrid bus to get to the Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla stadium. He moved cautiously, his face was serious. This is not the body language of a player excited to participate in the first Copa del Rey final.
Real Madrid's starting lineup was announced and Mbappe was not named. The French striker is said to have not recovered from the ankle injury he suffered 10 days ago.
During Mbappe's absence, coach Carlo Ancelotti chose Vinicius Junior as the striker, with Bellingham and Rodrygo supporting behind.
In the first half of the match against Barcelona, Real Madrid created very few threat attacks. They only had 1 shot, with an xG (expected goal) of 0.00. Just once, shortly before the end of the first half, Vinicius escaped behind Barca's defense and was fouled in the penalty area.
However, it was an offside situation. At that time, Mbappe had warmed up off the touchline. As soon as the second half started, the French player was brought on to replace Rodrygo.
Los Blancos immediately improved their attacking play. They soon had the best chance of the match, when Vinicius' shot was denied by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. 5 minutes later, Mbappe had his first chance, causing Barcelona's defense to confuse before Szczesny narrowed the shot and successfully blocked it once again.
However, the Polish goalkeeper was helpless before Mbappe's dangerous free kick in the 70th minute. Los Blancos finally found an equalizer as they proactively raised their formation and created an open game.
"I want him to come on when the pace of the game slows down. Mbappe will hardly be able to play the whole match due to his physical condition. However, the minutes he was in were really impressive," Ancelotti said of the decision to bring Mbappe on.
Ancelotti sent Luka Modric and Arda Guler onto the pitch, thereby playing an open game against Barcelona. In that situation, Mbappe showed his strengths even though he had not fully recovered. It was Mbappe's goal that helped the "White Vultures" boost their spirit.
However, in the end, Mbappe's efforts were not enough in a match where Barcelona played better. Jules Kounde's extra-time goal sealed the overall victory for Blaugrana.
Real Madrid have participated in 4 finals this season: UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Spanish Super Cup and now Copa del Rey. And Mbappe has scored in all those games.
Mbappe failed to show his potential when needed in the Champions League, and in many ways, his appearance has disrupted Real Madrid's balance.
However, Mbappe is still an excellent player with extraordinary talent. If put in the right system and circumstances, Mbappe can still succeed at Real Madrid, even if this season ends in disappointment.
Real's defeat to Barca shows that in big matches, solidarity and good coordination between players are the decisive factors. The Bernabeu team will have to improve their limitations next season.
"We controlled the game well. When Barcelona eased the pressure, we took advantage of the opportunity and played very well in the second half. We are closer to victory than them. It was painful that we couldn't lift the trophy, but we did our job well. There is nothing to complain about," Ancelotti added.
