Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has stepped up to support Kylian Mbappé, following a wave of criticism regarding the forward’s recent performances, highlighting that the team’s issues go beyond his individual form.
Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged that despite the team’s recent struggles, he remains confident they will overcome their issues. In a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s game against Getafe, the Real Madrid coach reflected on the challenges the team has faced.
“If i loock back on my career, last season was the easiest,” Ancelotti said. “Every team encounters difficulties, and we’re no different. It’s better to identify the problem now, in November or December, than wait until April or May when it might be too late.”
He continued, emphasizing that while the team is disappointed not to be among the top eight in the Champions League, they are still fighting for success in La Liga, and he believes brighter days lie ahead.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke candidly about various aspects of Real Madrid’s current situation in his pre-match comments. Addressing the versatility of Federico Valverde, he praised the Uruguayan midfielder’s flexibility: “Valverde is a modern midfielder. He can play as a defensive pivot or as an advanced midfielder, and his best position is the latter.”
When discussing his own performance, Ancelotti admitted that results haven’t met his expectations. “I make every effort to present my best self. The results say that I haven’t achieved that yet, and that makes me unhappy. I’m a bit worried, but personally, I’m very happy.”
On the topic of Kylian Mbappé’s struggles, he stated: “Mbappé hasn’t collapsed. He knows he needs to perform better, but he hasn’t fallen. Our problem is collective, not individual. The current dynamic of the team is good, and we need to be patient. The issue isn’t solely with Mbappé, it’s a problem that involves the entire team, it’s a team issue. We need to reach the best version of everyone, including me. Mbappé has scored eight goals. Can he play better? Yes, but everyone has to give their best.”
Turning to the upcoming match against Getafe, Ancelotti acknowledged the challenge posed by their strong defense: “Getafe are a special team because they defend well. The essential is to attack very well, take control, and give a good performance so as to win.”
He also addressed transfer speculation, saying, “Thinking about transfers now is a waste of time. We still have a month to think about that. There are moves to evaluate from all sides.”
Ancelotti then praised young player Raul Asensio, noting, “He will fight for his position when everyone returns. He’s played with confidence in the last three games and has performed in all aspects. He is an important player.”
As for the tactical side, he discussed the roles of Mbappé and Vinicius, saying: “Mbappé is used to playing deep or on the left, while Vinicius is less used to playing deep, but he’s proving to be very dangerous. It’s possible they’ll change positions during the match.”
Finally, Ancelotti confirmed that young talent Endrick will play, calling him “the ideal player to win tomorrow.”
