Fracturing Real Madrid need Mbappe magic

Pep, Haaland come hunting at Bernabeu

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Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe warms up before a match last weekend.

(REUTERS)

Real Madrid desperately need superstar Kylian Mbappe at his magical best today in a pivotal Champions League clash against Manchester City and unstoppable striker Erling Haaland.

After just two victories in seven matches, fractures have emerged in Xabi Alonso’s Madrid project, with some Spanish media reporting a defeat against City could lead to a premature dismissal.

So often this season Madrid have underwhelmed but been rescued by Mbappe's lethal brilliance, scoring 25 goals in 21 games to lead the scoring charts both in Spain and in the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s City are spearheaded by Norwegian international Haaland, who has 20 goals in 20 games across all competitions and, along with Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, is Mbappe's only rival as the standout star of the current season.

The pair have also been drawn against each other at next summer's World Cup in the United States, with Mbappe’s France to face Haaland’s Norway on June 26 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.