Arda Guler amused Real Madrid supporters after jokingly apologising to Kylian Mbappe for taking a goal away from his teammate during their 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 21. The warm exchange came after a goal in the second half which showed how the attacking fray was unfolding between Madrid’s star-studded squad.
Mbappé looked like he was going to head the cross into the far post, but it went astray and into the net in the 52nd minute by Jude Bellingham. The Turkish international, however, made the last-moment save by getting out of the way of the French forward, and ahead of him into the net. He also made sure that Leipzig defender David Raum wasn’t going to try to clear the danger as the shot went over him. The finish wasted a chance Mbappé had for a good score, but it didn’t look like it was a rift between the players.
Later, Guler took to Instagram to have a little fun with the France international about the moment: “Sorry for taking your goal, thank you Kylian.” The exchange was an indication of the friendly relationship between the two attacking players who celebrated their goal together under the strange circumstances.
Guler told Real Madrid TV that he predicted Mbappé would have a second chance to score later in the match, adding a few jabs about his teammate’s ability to still score. The result was not the only reason for the incident to be a topic of conversation; it was more of a funny moment to Madrid’s dominant European performance. The win was another positive in Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign and Guler’s impact only highlighted his potential to affect games when he plays alongside some of the world’s elite stars.
