Carlo Ancelotti defends Kylian Mbappe's fitness and adaptation to the Real Madrid system: 'Every year it changes'

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has downplayed any concerns regarding Kylian Mbappe's integration into the team, despite ongoing discussions about his performance. While some critics have pointed to the absence of Toni Kroos as a significant challenge for the team, Ancelotti is more focused on ensuring that Mbappe adjusts well and fits into the squad. He acknowledged that Mbappe has missed a few scoring opportunities but remains optimistic about his future contributions.

In the past two weeks, Ancelotti has stressed the importance of balance and hard work, particularly in matches against RCD Mallorca and Real Valladolid. As the team prepares for their upcoming fixture against Las Palmas, Ancelotti believes that Mbappe’s adaptation to the team is proceeding smoothly.

"Every season brings a new set of challenges due to changes in the team and its structure. We needed time to find our rhythm last year, and we ended up winning many games in the final minutes. It’s normal for it to take some time for a team to hit peak performance, and this is something that happens every year," Ancelotti explained.

When questioned about whether modern football allows for star players like Mbappe and Vinicius Junior to have more freedom, Ancelotti emphasized the need for overall team cohesion. "The key is to maintain a compact team. Both forwards and defenders play crucial roles. If forwards press while the defense fails to advance, the team loses its compactness. Conversely, if the defense moves up without proper pressing from the forwards, it’s the same issue. It’s about the general team structure rather than focusing solely on individual players or specific positional groups."

Despite concerns over Mbappe’s goal-scoring record, particularly following his debut goal in the European Supercup, Ancelotti remains confident. "We have plenty of attacking resources, and in our first three games, we’ve already scored six goals. There’s no real concern about our goal-scoring abilities at this point, and it won’t be an issue because everyone is working hard."

He noted that Mbappe’s last goal was on August 14th, pointing out that two weeks is not a long enough period to worry. "We don’t stress over these things, and neither does Mbappe. He is eager to score in the next match, just like Vinicius."

At the start of his press conference, Ancelotti also paid tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson and Juan Izquierdo, acknowledging Eriksson’s influence on his career during their time together as player and coach from 1984 to 1987.