Real Madrid is out of sorts, and the Frenchman is part of that. As such, the glare falls on him. He’s the story, a dialed-down, diluted version of the soccer phenom he was upon arrival in Spain. A dizzied surfer unable to ride the waves he once could.

Mbappé’s tally this season stands at nine goals in 18 appearances—respectable but a far cry from his PSG days, where he netted an astonishing 44 in 48 matches last season. Alarmingly, his goals for Madrid lack the flair and variety that once defined his style.

Striker Kylian Mbappe had another subdued and disappointing performance for Real Madrid on Wednesday, failing to seriously trouble Liverpool's defence and missing a penalty in their 2-0 Champions League defeat at Anfield.