Ancelotti Assures Mbappé is Ready to Shine
Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Real Madrid, stated that Kylian Mbappé's adaptation period is over and highlighted the need for the French forward to improve the consistency of his plays, showcasing his unique talent more frequently. During a press conference, Ancelotti praised Mbappé's attitude and physical recovery, assuring that he is now in optimal condition to contribute to the team.
"I believe his adaptation period is over. He has shown a good version of himself and can still improve. He has regained his physical shape, is motivated, excited, and happy to be here… He needed his adaptation period, like everyone, and it’s over," Ancelotti said. He also emphasized that he does not expect Mbappé to be overly involved in the game since his main strength lies in breaking away and attacking the defensive line more consistently.
The coach lamented that, due to injuries, key players such as Mbappé, Vinícius, Rodrygo, and Bellingham have not been able to play together more often. However, he stressed that mobility on the field is more important than fixed positions, allowing the team to adapt to different circumstances.
Ready to close the year
Ancelotti also spoke about the last match of the year, where Real Madrid will face Sevilla. He explained that his comment about "unfortunately" having to play one more game after winning the Intercontinental Cup was due to their preference to begin the holidays after such a triumph. Nevertheless, he emphasized that this match is an opportunity to end the year with a victory in front of their fans, highlighting that Sevilla is always a highly competitive opponent.
The Italian coach stressed the need to reduce unnecessary turnovers, especially considering the team’s quality. "We are talking to the players about this, about unnecessary losses with the quality this team has. Sometimes we take risks in plays that we don’t need to," he remarked. This aspect has been a focus in recent training sessions, aiming to improve collective performance.
Finally, Ancelotti analyzed the performance of the team's full-backs this season. He highlighted the return of Ferland Mendy, who is available for the upcoming match, and the recovery of David Alaba, scheduled for January. Additionally, he explained that academy player Raúl Asencio, originally a center-back, is being trained as a right-back to strengthen the defense for future matches. "The full-backs have done very well, considering the injuries to the starters, especially Carvajal’s serious injury. We are training Raúl, who can be useful in matches where we need more defensive strength," he concluded.