Just as it seemed the pressure of fulfilling his lifelong dream of joining Real Madrid might be overwhelming for Kylian Mbappé, the French superstar has put those doubts to rest.

After a rocky start to his time at Madrid, Mbappé now appears to be settled and ready to make a significant impact both in Spain and on the European stage.

His resurgence comes at a crucial time for Real Madrid, with two important Champions League matches on the horizon, starting with RB Salzburg’s visit to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.

Following that, Madrid will face Brest away next week, aiming to advance to the next round of the competition. It would be unfathomable for the reigning champions, who have won the title 15 times, to face an early exit, especially after a poor start that currently sees them sitting 20th in the 36-team group, where the 12 teams will be eliminated.

Madrid has already suffered defeats against Liverpool, where Mbappé missed a penalty, and AC Milan, as well as a loss to Lille. Shortly after the setback at Anfield, he missed another penalty in a La Liga defeat to Athletic Bilbao, which marked a turning point for the French captain.

“I made a big mistake in a match where every detail matters, and I take full responsibility for it,” Mbappé stated in a post on Instagram. “Now is the best time to change this situation and show who I am.”

Since committing to turning things around, Mbappé has scored eight goals in ten matches across all competitions, including a spectacular solo goal against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. He also found the net in Madrid’s victory over Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup in December. Beyond the goals, he is beginning to embody the world-class talent that president Florentino Pérez envisioned.