Fabio Capello: Vini Jr and Mbappe partnership is ‘not working’ | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello has been unimpressed by Kylian Mbappe’s first season in the Spanish capital.

Los Blancos finally completed a move to bring in the France captain last summer as he eventually joined on a free transfer after leaving PSG.

Following a delayed start to preseason, due to France’s run to the semi finals of UEFA Euro 2024, Mbappe joined up with his new teammates at the start of August.

The main debate over his place in Madrid focused on how Carlo Ancelotti would fit him and Vinicius Junior into the same starting line up.

Mbappe starred in a freer role on the left side of PSG’s attack in the same spot Vinicius had made his own in Madrid.

Ancelotti constantly batted away questions on the duo not being able to shine together with his ongoing plan being to start Mbappe centrally.

After some injury issues at the start of the campaign, Mbappe has started to catch fire, with Ancelotti delighted by his impact through the middle of Real Madrid’s attack.

As the campaign approaches the run-in, Mbappe is up to 28 goals scored in 41 games for Real Madrid in 2024/25, with Vinicius on 18 from 37.

However, Capello – who won two La Liga titles across two spells in Madrid – believes the pair are not clicking to a high level in 2025.

“Mbappe and Vinicius Jr play in the same position, they are stepping on each other and not performing well”, as per an interview with Flashscore.

“As individuals, they can do what others can’t in tight spaces, and do things nobody else thinks about, but that’s not the harmony of the team game.

“Real Madrid are a team of galacticos up front, with problems in the midfield after Toni Kroos left last summer, and they also have problems in defence with many injuries.”