French star on brink of making La Liga history in debut season, as Lewandowski clings to top spot in Pichichi race
Kylian Mbappe could achieve a record in his debut season that recent Real Madrid superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema never managed.
In the race for the Pichichi Trophy, awarded to the season highest goalscorer in La Liga, the France international has narrowed the gap on Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski to just one goal.
Lewandowski is leading the scoring chart with 25 goals and has been a consistent force for Barcelona throughout the season. Meanwhile, Mbappe started the season on a low note, but his recent form has been exceptional. The 26-year-old scored a brace in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo on Sunday, bringing his tally in La Liga to 24 goals.
Should Mbappe overtake Lewandowski, he would become only the fourth player in Real Madrid’s history to win the Pichichi in his debut season, joining the ranks of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Hugo Sanchez, and Alfredo Di Stefano. Even Ronaldo and Benzema couldn’t achieve that record.
Lewandowski has been out injured since mid-April and his fitness remains a concern. Should he continue to stay on the sidelines, it could give Mbappe the opportunity to surpass the Poland international.
However, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick gave an update on Lewandowski’s fitness saying that his No 9 is “doing well and progressing” and that he is “doing much better than we thought”. This means that the Polish striker could be fit to face Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final return leg on Tuesday. If he does, then he could also be available to face Mbappe’s Real Madrid in the El Clasico on Sunday.
The upcoming fixture between the two clubs carries significant weight in the title race, with Barcelona currently leading Real Madrid by four points. But now it may also be a battle ground for the Pichichi Trophy.
