As the UEFA Champions League resumes, all eyes will be on defending champions Real Madrid and their star-studded squad, especially their new striking sensation Kylian Mbappe. The Spanish giants have set their sights on retaining European glory, and the arrival of the French phenom has added even more firepower to their arsenal.
Ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Borussia Dortmund, manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his preference for Mbappe’s goal-scoring prowess over his work rate in pressing high up the field. “I prefer that Mbappe scores goals than he presses,” Ancelotti stated.
The 65-year-old Italian tactician made it clear that he expects the same from Mbappe as he did from the departed Karim Benzema—to be “well positioned and to be ready every time we get the ball back to make a rapid transition.”
Ancelotti acknowledges that Mbappe’s arrival has forced a shift in the team’s lineup, with English midfield dynamo Jude Bellingham now deployed in a deeper role. While Bellingham’s goal-scoring exploits from last season have not translated to the current campaign, Ancelotti remains unfazed.
“We’re satisfied with his work because he works a lot on the pitch; he’s always there; he competes, fights, and sacrifices himself,” Ancelotti said. “The truth is he hasn’t scored the goals he did last year, but the surprise isn’t this year; it’s last year; he scored a heap of goals that no one expected.”
The Real Madrid boss also expressed a preference for a more end-to-end, “rock and roll football” style rather than a possession-based approach, citing the abilities of his squad.
“I want rock and roll football because I have players with these characteristics,” Ancelotti revealed. “We find it harder to play a game based on possession and control because we don’t have players with characteristics to play in reduced spaces.”
As Real Madrid prepare to host Borussia Dortmund, the focus will undoubtedly be on how Ancelotti and his team integrate the dynamic Mbappe into their attacking play. The German side, led by new coach Nuri Sahin, will be eager to exact revenge for their defeat in last season’s Champions League final.
Sahin, a former Real Madrid player himself, has heaped praise on young Turkish sensation Arda Guler, who has struggled to earn consistent minutes under Ancelotti. The Dortmund boss even expressed his desire to one day coach the talented attacker, stating, “Arda Guler is different. I want him to be very successful. Inshallah, one day I hope to be his coach.”
The reigning champions and a Dortmund side eager to prove their mettle will engage in a captivating clash as the Champions League action resumes. The football world is eagerly anticipating a thrilling encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Mbappe and the rest of Real Madrid’s attacking talent primed for a dominant display.