Carlo Ancelotti insisted Kylian Mbappé “can do better” after missing his second penalty in a week in Real Madrid’s 2-1 LaLiga loss to Athletic Club on Wednesday.

Álex Berenguer gave Athletic the lead in the 53rd minute at San Mamés and Mbappé had a chance to equalize 15 minutes later, but his penalty was saved by goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.

Then Jude Bellingham equalized – pouncing on a rebound from Mbappé’s shot – before Athletic’s Gorka Guruzeta scored the eventual winner after a mistake by Federico Valverde.

Mbappé’s failure to convert the penalty came a week after he saw another effort saved by Liverpool’s Caoimhín Kelleher in Madrid’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield in the Champions League.

“I haven’t spoken to (Mbappé),” Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference when asked how his players were feeling. “I shouldn’t judge a player’s game based on a penalty. Sometimes you get a shot, sometimes you don’t. Of course he is sad and disappointed, but we have to move on.”

“Fede (Valverde) is sad and disappointed like Kylian, but Fede is a great player. In football, people make mistakes.”

Mbappé has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances for Madrid so far but has faced increasing criticism over his form over the last month.

“He is not at his best level but we have to give him time to adapt,” Ancelotti said, confirming that Mbappé would remain a potential penalty taker for Madrid alongside Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham. “He scored ten goals, he can do better and he is working on doing better.”

Mbappé turned down the chance to take another penalty against Getafe on Sunday, with Bellingham stepping up instead.

“He took the responsibility to do it today and it didn’t go well,” Ancelotti said. “But that can happen in football.”

Athletic keeper Agirrezabala said he had anticipated which way Mbappé would convert his penalty.

“Nowadays we study everything a lot,” he told DAZN. “We knew he was a good pitcher. He had just missed one and I thought he would go to the same side. Luckily that happened.”

The defeat leaves Madrid four points behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona with a game to play.