Struggling for several months, Kylian Mbappé is starting to raise serious concerns, and Carlo Ancelotti, his coach at Real Madrid, openly addressed the decision he is considering during a press conference this Friday.
Since joining the Madrid club, the Frenchman has struggled to regain the brilliance that once made him a goal-scoring machine. This season, Mbappé has shown a far cry from the form his supporters had grown accustomed to. The issues worsened after Vinicius Jr.’s injury. In the absence of the Brazilian winger, Real Madrid has lost two of their last three matches, amplifying criticism of Mbappé, who has remained silent in front of goal, notably after missing two crucial penalties.
The situation reached its peak last Wednesday during a surprising 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, where Mbappé once again missed a decisive penalty. According to Marca, part of the Real Madrid locker room is beginning to doubt him, with some players no longer wanting him to take penalties.
Ancelotti considers benching Mbappé
When questioned about this in a press conference ahead of the trip to Girona, Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged that the forward is going through a tough period. While he continues to express confidence in him, the Italian coach has not ruled out the possibility of starting him on the bench in the near future.
According to Ancelotti, this decision could also address the need to manage players’ workload amid a packed schedule, especially with the Club World Cup approaching. The coach hopes to see Mbappé back to his best form for the key matches ahead.
“Mbappé is aware of the situation; he spoke after the match. We stand behind him. He knows he’s not at his best. Should he play more or less? That needs to be analyzed. I think he has improved in terms of intensity and speed, but that doesn’t mean he has to start every match. Sometimes, rest can also be beneficial,” explained Carlo Ancelotti.
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