Kylian Mbappe is in the firing line again as the Real Madrid megastar had a penalty saved in a damaging 2-0 Champions League loss to Liverpool on Thursday (AEDT).
Defending champions Madrid now sit an unbelievable 24th of the 36 team standings while Liverpool stayed perfect under Arne Slot.
No one felt the embarrassment at Anfield more than prized recruit Mbappe, who had a second half penalty misfire and was earlier dumped on his behind by Conor Bradley's superb tackle in an instant viral moment.
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Bradley was a standout, denying Mbappe at high speed in a signature defensive play in the 32nd minute.
The 21-year-old Northern Ireland defender then joined the attack in the 52nd minute to play a key pass returning the ball to Alexis Mac Allister who scored the opening goal.
After Mbappe's penalty was pushed away by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the 61st minute, Liverpool star Mo Salah missed with his own spot kick in the 70th, before substitute Cody Gakpo sealed the win with a header in the 77th.
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Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid. Getty
"The loudest roar of all night came when Kelleher saved Killian Mbappe's penalty," Katie Shanahan told Stan Sport from Anfield.
"All of the Real Madrid fans behind the goal were absolutely stunned, but that was definitely the loudest roar of the night. I'm surprised that you didn't even hear it in Australia it was that loud.
"He didn't look himself when he stood up to take the penalty. But they just look really disjointed as a whole team. Kylian Mbappe, he's come into the team, he's having to play more of a central role.
"The Spanish headlines have all been saying 'the nightmare continues.' They've been pretty underwhelming since he's come in and his arrival has impacted other players.
"Jude Bellingham... lots of players just looked confused."
World Cup winner Mbappe indeed looked a shadow of himself against a Liverpool team that leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League this season.
Mbappe has scored nine goals in 18 appearances for Madrid since leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent at the end of last season.
But he has only one goal in the Champions League for his new club, which has lost three of its five games in the revamped competition.
"He's down on confidence," Craig Foster said on Stan Sport.
"He's half the player of last season."
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said the star forward was going through a "difficult moment" just months after he joined the record 15 time European champion.
"We've got to give him our support and love and he will soon be fine," Ancelotti said as he faced multiple questions from Spanish reporters about Mbappe's form.
"It could be lack of confidence maybe. Sometimes when moments in the game and things are not working out, the idea is to keep things simple. Don't complicate things.
"He's going through that moment now. You get through them. Don't blame him for missing a penalty. People miss penalties. We can't put too much grief on him for that."
Madrid were already stacked with firepower before Mbappe's arrival.
UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between France and Poland. Kylian Mbappe scores the opening goal from the penalty spot.
Kylian Mbappe scores the opening goal from the penalty spot. Getty
"He's obviously upset the apple cart," Mark Bosnich said on Stan Sport.
"Not only the play, what we see, but I'm looking at the reaction from the other players in the dressing room and they're suffering for it.
"He's a shadow of the player of last season."
Victory saw Slot manage something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp never could by beating Madrid in the Champions League.
Klopp lost five and drew once in six games against Madrid - including two defeats in the final.
Madrid plays Atalanta next month and Liverpool faces Girona.