Strikers Kylian Mbappé and Álvaro Morata, representing Real Madrid and AC Milan respectively, will face each other on matchday four of the Champions League. Both go into the match under the spotlight for being caught offside on a regular basis, a trend that has cast a shadow over their performances.
Following Real Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico, the team faced harsh criticism, not least for repeatedly falling into Blaugrana offside traps. Of particular note was Mbappé, who equalled the record for most offside in a La Liga match.
Hansi Flick’s side caught him offside a whopping eight times. Tuesday’s game at 20:00 offers the French star a chance to redeem himself against Paulo Fonseca’s AC Milan.
On the opposing side is Alvaro Morata, a striker who has often been affected by offside throughout his career.
Although he has only had three offsides called against him in eight Serie A games this season – and none in three Champions League matches – his past has been marked by frequent offsides. In 504 career games, Morata has been caught offside 373 times, an average of 0.74 per game. His worst season came in 2019/20 with Atlético Madrid, where he was offside 47 times across 41 games in La Liga and the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Mbappé continues to be questioned over his recent form, with some attributing his problems in El Clasico to a lack of sharpness. Despite this, his determination to push the boundaries often exposes him to the risk of being whistled offside. In 388 games, he has accumulated 333 offsides, an average of 0.86 per game. This season alone, in 10 La Liga matches totalling 853 minutes, he has been flagged 17 times. Although these figures may seem high, both players know that a valid attempt to break the defensive line could lead to a great goal-scoring opportunity.