Mbappé has already scored nine goals and contributed with assists, but of course, he can play better, like all of us,” said Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, in a press conference.

The Italian coach came to the defense of his player Kylian Mbappé, who faced harsh criticism after his performance in the match against Liverpool at Anfield, where he even missed a penalty. Ancelotti assured that the problem is not solely with the French star but with the whole team.

Adaptation and criticism

Ancelotti made it clear that Mbappé is not down despite the criticism. “He is aware that he needs to do better. He is criticized for missing the penalty, but many players on my team have missed penalties. We need to keep supporting and helping him. This is a collective issue. They can criticize me, but the team is improving. We need to be patient, especially considering that we are missing many players,” said the coach after the defeat at Anfield.

Simplifying to get out of the slump

The coach advocated simplifying the game to improve. “In difficult moments, the tendency is to complicate things, but the easiest way out is to simplify. For example, when the team is struggling, we need to return to the basics: defend well. It gives me confidence that the team is starting to defend well, and that is essential in football,” he explained.

When asked how he would manage the Mbappé-Vinícius duo when the Brazilian returns from injury, Ancelotti commented: “I don’t know, really. Mbappé is more used to playing centrally, and Vinícius less so, but he is realizing that he is also very dangerous when playing centrally. It will depend on the match and how their positions change during the game.”

Acknowledgments and new challenges

Ancelotti highlighted the performance of youth player Raúl Asencio: “When everyone returns, he will fight for a spot. The three matches he has played have been flawless. He has performed in every aspect, and he deserves to compete for a place.”

He also praised Fede Valverde, the Uruguayan who will return to midfield against Getafe after playing as a right-back against Leganés and Liverpool. “Fede is a modern midfielder. He can play as a defensive pivot, an interior arriving from the second line, and he has a tremendous shot. His best position is as a midfielder,” he said.

Finally, when asked about the role of Endrick in the team, Ancelotti was straightforward: “If on Sunday I consider that Endrick is the ideal player to win the match, he will play.”