Questions have persisted regarding whether Mbappe's best position remains out wide or through the middle, with some critics suggesting he lacks the instincts of a natural number nine. However, Arbeloa pointed to the player's movement and statistical output as proof that he is executing exactly what is required. The manager was glowing in his appraisal of the forward's footballing IQ, insisting that there is no identity crisis when it comes to the French captain's role in the final third.
Arbeloa doubled down on his defence, telling reporters: "I don't know, I don't think Mbappe's problem is scoring goals, or how he does it. Obviously, on the pitch you have to make decisions. And I think if I had to highlight one quality of Kylian Mbappe, even though he has many very good ones, I think he's a very intelligent player and person. He knows very well where to move. And... of course there will be situations where spaces can open up in the box. Where we need not only Kylian, but other players to be able to get there, like what happened to us in Pamplona. But come on, I think Kylian knows perfectly well what he has to do on the pitch and you only have to look at his stats to understand that he does it well."