Gareth Bale, former Real Madrid player, came to the defense of Kylian Mbappé after the French forward missed a penalty in Real Madrid's loss to Liverpool this Wednesday in the Champions League. Despite Mbappé's failure to convert the penalty that could have equalized the match, Bale was quick to praise the Frenchman, calling him "the best player in the world" and stating that "it’s only a matter of time" before he proves it.

During his commentary for TNT Sports, the Welshman defended Mbappé, noting that he wasn’t the only one to miss a penalty that night. "Salah and he both missed penalties, but because Liverpool won, only Mbappé's miss will be talked about," Bale said. The former Real Madrid player emphasized that Mbappé's penalty miss does not reflect his overall quality, but rather was just an unfortunate moment in a much larger game.

Liverpool's Dominance

On the match itself, Bale was clear about Liverpool's superiority. "Liverpool was much better, by far, and dominated the match from start to finish," said Bale, acknowledging the quality of Arne Slot's team, who claimed a convincing victory.

Real Madrid’s Tough Situation

Bale, who won 16 titles with Real Madrid, also shared his concerns about the current state of the team. With so many injuries in the squad, Bale explained that competing under these circumstances is an extremely tough task. Despite the challenges, the Welshman pointed out that Real Madrid's quality and potential are still evident, though the path to qualification won’t be easy.

In conclusion, Bale not only defended Mbappé, but also recognized Liverpool's dominance on the night and showed understanding for Real Madrid's struggles due to their injury crisis.