"The arrival of Mbappe was very important" - Barcelona legend claims Real Madrid are favorites to win La Liga this year

Barcelona icon Rivaldo has admitted that Real Madrid are the favorites to win the La Liga title this season. The former Blaugrana superstar reckoned that the arrival of the Frenchman to the Santiago Bernabeu has further solidified Los Blancos' position in the title race.

Following a protracted transfer saga that lasted about two years, Kylian Mbappe finally got his dream move to Madrid this summer. The attacker arrived as a free agent after running down his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and has penned a five-year contract that will keep him in the Spanish capital until 2029.

Although rival clubs like Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also made notable signings during the current transfer window, Rivaldo believes the defending champions are still a level above their competitors, thanks to Mbappe's arrival which has further strengthened their tag as favorites.

"I think Real Madrid are still the favorites," the Brazilian told Betfair. "I think the arrival of Mbappe was very important in a team that was already very good. Even with all the reinforcements from the other teams, it is difficult not to look at Real Madrid as the favorite, even though there are other teams that can grow during the season."

It is worth noting that Kylian Mbappe has wasted no time in getting things started at Real Madrid. The 25-year-old made his first official appearance for the Madrid outfit in their 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup this month, opening his account with a beautiful goal and winning a trophy on his very first outing.

The French forward also featured in their La Liga opener against Mallorca last weekend, playing the full 90 minutes in a game that ended 1-1. Looking at the early signs, it wouldn't be a stretch to say the winger is primed for great things at the Santiago Bernabeu.

What is next for Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid?

It goes without mentioning that the 1-1 draw with Mallorca came as a subtle blow to Real Madrid - especially considering that their arch-rivals Barcelona managed to get off to a flying start by beating Valencia 2-1 at the Mestella Stadium in their opening game.

Los Blancos will be looking forward to bouncing back to winning ways when they take on Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday (August 24).

Kylian Mbappe is expected to lead the attack once again. The Frenchman has demonstrated a commendable understanding with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in his two games so far. It will be interesting to see how these talents will combine to wreak havoc on opposition defenses in the Spanish top flight going forward.