After Mabppe left Paris Saint-Germain on a free and later on, Real Madrid confirmed his purchase as a free agent, making him perhaps their biggest summer signing. But since Cristiano Ronaldo left, Los Blancos have performed better as a team overall, and many have expressed concerns about the possible upheaval brought about by the arrival of yet another star. But Ancelotti has a different kind of worry.
The possible use of Mbappe as a striker as opposed to his natural left-wing position, which is now filled by Vinicius Jr., the 2024 Ballon d'Or favorite, has also been questioned by both fans and astute observers. But the Italian head coach has also defused concerns in that area by claiming that his offensive will stay adaptable.
It seems unlikely that the Frenchman would join Ancelotti's team for preseason until after their tour of the United States concludes, as they want to give Mbappe more time off after suffering an injury at the UEFA Euro 2024. That's when the Italian will finally be able to put his theories into practice.
🇮🇹🧠 Carlo Ancelotti is asked how Mbappé will fit into Real Madrid's team... ⚡️
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) July 25, 2024
"The pitch is 68 metres. We have to cover the 68 meters with the players in front." pic.twitter.com/XRvfGMW2NS
“Fitting Mbappe in the team will not be a problem” : Carlo Ancelotti
When asked where Mbappe may play on the field, Ancelotti responded, "I see him playing in the front with the attack being quite wide," in an interview with The Obi One Podcast. He believes that mobility is a crucial component of a successful attack.
Carlo Ancelotti said, “If I ask you where Vinicius played last season, it’s difficult to say. He didn’t play as a left-winger. Sometimes he played on the left, sometimes in the middle. Bellingham, sometimes, played on the left, sometimes played in the middle, sometimes on the right. Rodrygo started most of the games on the right but sometimes during the game, I see him playing on the left (laughs). It’s important to have this mobility.
The former Bayern Munich manager added, "I want to give my players freedom. They have to be able to manage the situation of the game. We played one game against City with both Rodrygo and Vinicius on the left because we thought we could take advantage of that area."
When asked about how Mbappe will get into the team, he finished by saying that: "Fitting Mbappe in the team will not be a problem. It’s important what he said, that he’ll adapt to the team. The key point is that every player has to put his talent and quality at the service of the team."