Real Madrid are on a five-game winning streak, including an impressive 2-1 win over arch-rivals Barcelona in El Clasico.
Since the international break, Jose Mourinho has made some tactical tweaks that have made the team more potent from both attacking and defensive perspectives.
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Their attacking fortunes, at this stage, are very much dependent on how well Kylian Mbappe is performing.
His decisive brace against the Catalans last weekend was yet another reminder of his extraordinary form.
According to Diario AS, Mbappe has scored 14 goals in just 13 appearances for Los Blancos this season, averaging one goal every 83 minutes.
The goalscoring rate underlines how consistently the 27-year-old has been chipping in since the start of the season.
Of the 14 goals, 11 have come in La Liga, placing him firmly in contention for the Pichichi and the European Golden Shoe.
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He has also scored three in the Champions League so far, finding the net against Inter Milan, Roma and RB Leipzig.
Kylian Mbappe has been in excellent goalscoring form this season. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
His form has also become more devastating alongside Madrid’s upturn in fortunes, with the Frenchman scoring six goals in his last five games.
To explain just how important Mbappe is to Mourinho, one has to take a look at the goalscoring numbers beyond the 27-year-old.
His tally of 14 goals so far this season is more than four times that of Madrid’s next-highest scorers, with four players tied on 3 goals each.
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His scoring rate of a goal every 83 minutes also means that he is averaging more than a goal per game.
Only Barcelona star Raphinha, with 15 goals, sits ahead of him in the Pichichi race, and Mbappe will be keen to close the gap against Racing Santander.
Mbappe’s goalscoring efficiency becomes even more impressive when you consider the number of minutes he has played.
Jose Mourinho has an important decision to make on Kylian Mbappe’s minutes. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The Frenchman has played 1,161 of a possible 1,170 minutes this season. This makes him the most-used outfield player across Europe’s top five leagues.
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Madrid have been so dependent on him for goals that Mourinho doesn’t want to play many minutes without the Frenchman on the pitch.
However, the manager will also need to understand the importance of managing his minutes in the coming weeks.
With the schedule becoming increasingly gruelling and away trips increasing, Mourinho needs to handle Mbappe carefully.
The upcoming games after the Racing clash provide the manager with an opportunity to try to set his team up without the Frenchman, and it remains to be seen whether Mourinho makes that call.
