There is a version of Gonzalo Garcia, the Real Madrid striker, with the presence of the French star Kylian Mbappe, and a completely different one in his absence, as the player's statistics clearly reveal the difference.

Gonzalo suffers from a complete goal drought with Mbappe's presence, without any goal during 574 minutes. However, in the matches where Mbappe was absent, the scene changes entirely, as he scored 10 goals in just 800 minutes, a notable contrast summarizing the 'two faces' of the player this season.

Gonzalo makes the most of every minute he gets with Real Madrid. He participated in 860 minutes out of 3150 minutes this season, which is only 27% of the total minutes, given the presence of an untouchable star like Mbappe, while Gonzalo's role is clear: waiting, working silently, and seizing the opportunity when it comes.

Despite this limited role, his numbers remain strong; he scored 5 goals and provided two assists, with a goal every 172 minutes and a goal contribution every 122 minutes. His best evening was against Real Betis at the start of 2026 when he scored a hat-trick in a match Mbappe missed. He also left his mark with a goal against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, in addition to a decisive contribution against Kairat Almaty.

Gonzalo ranks 15th in the list of the team's most participating players in terms of minutes, ahead of Dani Ceballos, Antonio Rudiger, and Fran Garcia, and less than Rodrygo and Mastantuono, noting that the young striker started in only 9 matches, including cup and super cup confrontations, and one Champions League match against Manchester City when Mbappe was absent.

Gonzalo showed clear tactical flexibility, playing in 10 out of 26 matches as a second striker or right winger, allowing space for Mbappe in the center. As coach Alvaro Arbeloa stated, Gonzalo's presence inside the penalty area makes him more dangerous, but with the presence of the 'beast' with 38 goals, adaptation becomes a necessity.

The conclusion is clear: when alongside Mbappe, his scoring presence diminishes; when the Frenchman is absent, Gonzalo roars with strength... It is simply the story of two faces of one player.