Rivaldo Exclusive: Mbappe looks destined to sign for Real Madrid

Rivaldo
08 October 2021
4:00 min read

Ronald Koeman needs a reaction from his Barcelona players

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Betfair Ambassador Rivaldo discusses Kylian Mbappe's future, backs Lionel Messi to come good at PSG, urges Barcelona players to step up and says Mo Salah deserves to be a Ballon d'Or contender...

"If he goes to Real Madrid, I believe he will become a star in La Liga and help the most successful team in Champions League history to chase the European titles that are missing since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure."

- Rivaldo on Kylian Mbappe

PSG's French forward recently mentioned that he wants to leave the club and we all know that his wish is to move to Real Madrid soon, especially after Lionel Messi's arrival that overshadowed his role at the club. But I must say that Mbappe is being very professional, keeping his commitment with the team and giving his best on the pitch.

There are rumours about when he will leave the club - January or end of contract - but I think the best thing for him would be ending the season at PSG, trying to win the Champions League and leaving the club with such an achievement.

Playing with Neymar and Messi grow his chances and it could be the best strategy for him, but we must consider that PSG might want some income with his transfer in January, so, it's tough to understand now how this story is going to end.

If he goes to Real Madrid, I believe he will become a star in La Liga and help the most successful team in Champions League history to chase the European titles that are missing since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.

Lionel Messi is adapting and being humble

Messi's early days at PSG have been a little frenzied, with rumours about tense relations with the manager Mauricio Pochettino and patchy results, but I think there is no problem with the group or Messi.

He is still adapting to a new life and will end up becoming crucial for the team. I would highlight how humble he was by laying down to stop a freekick in the Champions League win over Manchester City.

By doing that, Messi showed that he doesn't want any privileges or to be treated differently to the rest of the squad - which was what happened at Barcelona - and that's important to unite a group around him. Team unity will be vital for PSG in their Champions League matches.

Barcelona players must step up

FC Barcelona are going through a difficult patch but I still think that the club has players good enough to perform better and turnaround the current situation.

Some of those players were previously complaining about their lack of opportunities in the team. Well now they have their chance to prove why they deserved the club's confidence and why it wasn't a mistake to sign them. These players must step up in tough times. We cannot keep just criticizing the manager Ronald Koeman. He isn't the unique responsible for the situation.

Yes, Koeman has his responsibilities, but the players, board and others at the club must also assume their responsibilities. It's a bit unfair to only put all the pressure on Koeman's shoulders when he was so brave in taking the job in such a tough moment.

Honestly, I still think Koeman can continue at the club, but I also admit that Juan Laporta might be thinking about a replacement to take some pressure off the team. The team needs to recover its confidence and motivation and the best way to achieve it is by winning matches - allowing players to take a deep breath - before accelerating into a better season.

Mo Salah is Ballon d'Or contender

Liverpool's Egyptian forward is producing a fantastic start of season with impressive stats and a sensational goal against Manchester City last weekend.

He's one of the best players in the world right now because his astonishing numbers in terms of goals and assists are obtained in the Premier League and Champions League, two of the most difficult competitions in the planet. When you are so good in demanding conditions then of course you are a top player who deserves to be among the contenders for the Ballon d'Or this season.

Emerson can establish himself for Spurs and Brazil

Ex-Barcelona player Emerson Royal was one of the surprising call ups from Tite for the Brazil national squad. I'm sure Emerson is an excellent player with a huge potential.

He is just settling into the Premier League, and I believe that if he manages to become a regular starter at Tottenham, he will have a good chance of fighting for a place in the World Cup 2022 squad.

Tite must be an admirer of his qualities after calling him up for the next round of World Cup qualifiers. So Emerson just needs to adapt and produce his best in one of the toughest leagues in the world. If he does that, he has every chance of playing for Brazil in Qatar next year.

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