Kylian Mbappé’s penalty struggles continued as Real Madrid fell to a 2-1 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Wednesday, allowing Barcelona to retain their four-point lead at the top.
Mbappé missed a crucial spot-kick for the second time in a week, with Bilbao goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala comfortably saving his effort. After failing to convert against Liverpool in the Champions League, Mbappé faced fresh criticism, despite coach Carlo Ancelotti defending his star forward.
Bilbao opened the scoring early in the second half through Alejandro Berenguer, capitalizing on Thibaut Courtois’ parry from an Inaki Williams cross. Although Jude Bellingham equalised moments after Mbappé’s missed penalty, substitute Gorka Guruzeta snatched the win with a late strike after a mistake by Fede Valverde.
Goalkeeper Agirrezabala revealed he anticipated Mbappé’s direction: “I thought he’d go the same way as last time, and luckily, he did.”
The defeat marks Real Madrid’s fifth of the season, in stark contrast to their near-perfect record last year. Missing key players like Vinícius Júnior, the team has struggled for consistency, though Ancelotti is optimistic.
Madrid’s loss gives Barcelona breathing space atop the La Liga table, with the Catalans thrashing Mallorca 5-1 earlier in the week. The pressure is mounting on Los Blancos to recover their form as the title race heats up.
