Mbappe needs 'support' Real Madrid coach Ancelotti says after 2-0 loss to Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Kylian Mbappe hoped his move to Real Madrid would finally end his wait to win the Champions League.

That felt a long way off on Wednesday after a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool left the defending champion in danger of being eliminated from European club soccer's elite tournament at the first stage and in a fight just to make the playoffs for the next round.

If Madrid does make an early exit, Mbappe may look back on a miserable night at Anfield where he was humbled by a young defender and then missed a penalty that would have leveled the score.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said afterward 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.”

World Cup winner Mbappe looked a shadow of himself against a Liverpool team that leads the way in the Premier League and the Champions League this season.

He was brought crashing down by a crunching tackle from 21-year-old right back Conor Bradley when threatening to burst through on goal in the first half — sparking a huge cheer from the home crowd.

And it got worse for Mbappe in the second half when he had the chance to make it 1-1 from the penalty spot after Alexis Mac Allister had given six-time European champion Liverpool the lead. But with Caoimhin Kelleher to beat, he saw his effort pushed away by Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper.

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.

“Things are not running for him. We’ve got to be patient. He is an extraordinary player — a fantastic player,” Ancelotti said.

Madrid is 24th in the new-look 36-team league phase of the competition.

The top eight teams advance to the round of 16, while those ranked ninth to 24th go into a playoff.

Mbappe wasn't the only player to fail to score a penalty in the match, with Mohamed Salah also missing a spot kick of his own. But substitute Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool's advantage.

Victory saw new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot manage something his predecessor Jurgen Klopp never could by beating Real in the Champions League. Klopp lost five and drew once in six games against Madrid — including two defeats in the final.

Liverpool extended its perfect record in the Champions League this season and is top of the standings after five games.

Each team plays eight games in the opening phase.

Madrid plays Atalanta next month and Liverpool faces Girona.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, right, vies for the ball with Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher celebrates after stopping a penalty shot from Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher stops a penalty shot from Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher saves a penalty from Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Liverpool's Conor Bradley tackles Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers raised his hands to his head in despair before his own goal crossed the line to give Club Brugge the lead in a Champions League match that ended in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

The United States international played a no-look pass back from 10 yards (meters) toward his own net where he thought goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel would be.

Schmeichel was not there, and the ball rolled slowly into the corner of the goal as the veteran Denmark goalkeeper raced helplessly across his line. He narrowly avoiding crashing into the goal post.

The unforced error by Carter-Vickers gifted Club Brugge a 26th-minute lead at Celtic Park.

Celtic has impressed in the Champions League this season and earned another point on Japan international Daizen Maeda's goal in the 60th.

The Scottish champion is 20th in the 36-team standings with eight points, which UEFA projected before the season as likely enough to advance to the knockout stage. Celtic is away to Dinamo Zagreb on Dec. 10, with games in January against last-place Young Boys and Aston Villa.

The top eight teams in January go directly to the round of 16 in March, and teams placed from ninth to 24th enter a playoffs round in February. Those two-leg playoffs will decide the other eight round of 16 teams.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers reacts after scoring an own goal for Club Brugge's during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer stage match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Celtic's Auston Trusty and Club Brugge's Romeo Vermant, left, in action during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer stage match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Celtic's Daizen Maeda scores past Club Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer stage match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers, left, and Club Brugge's Ferran Jutgla in action during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer stage match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers, left, after scoring an own goal for Club Brugge during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer stage match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)