Mbappe: "My brilliance is due to Ronaldo's advice and I am happy to be compared to him."

French striker Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid confirmed that it is wonderful to equal the record of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo in his first season with the team, scoring two goals in a 3-2 victory over Leganes in round 29 of the competition on Saturday. Mbappe has now scored 33 goals in 44 matches in all competitions this season, matching the same number of goals Ronaldo scored in his first season (2009-2010) with the capital club, Real Madrid. Ronaldo later became the club's all-time top scorer with 450 goals. The 26-year-old Mbappe told Real Madrid TV, "It is very special to have the same number of goals as Cristiano Ronaldo, it is always a good thing." He added, "We know what it means to Real Madrid and to me, we exchange conversations and he gives me a lot of advice. He has scored many goals, but we need to win titles." Real Madrid now has 63 points in second place, level with Barcelona at the top, before facing their Catalan neighbors Girona, who surprised last season by finishing third. Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid praised Mbappe's performance, who had a tough start to the season in the Spanish capital after moving from Paris Saint-Germain last summer. The former coach of Milan, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea said, "He is performing very well, he has become more active and present in the team's play. He is making a difference, and that's what we want from him."