Carlo Ancelotti insists Kylian Mbappe’s ego isn’t inflated or causing a problem – even though the start to his Real Madrid career hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.
While many expected that adding a dash of Mbappe to an already impervious Los Blancos cohort – that features superstars such as Jude Bellingham and Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Junior – would make for the perfect and unstoppable recipe, this has not been the case so far.
While Ancelotti has claimed that last season’s Champions League-winning Real Madrid side were the easiest he’s coached, his superstars were slow out of the gates in La Liga this term – Mbappe failed to score in his first three league games – and they have fallen four points behind rivals Barcelona. The Champions League, however, is where they have suffered the most.
Of their five European matches, Real have won just two, and while it must be said that their run has been difficult, they remain far below their lofty standards. As Mbappe is essentially the only major change from last term’s double-winners, he has met the brunt of such criticism after such high hopes – though Ancelotti denies he has become an issue, with injuries having plagued the squad this season too.
“Usually, the greatest players are the easiest to manage,” Ancelotti began, speaking to L’Equipe. “They can have a big ego, but that can be their motivation.
“It is not a problem to have a big ego if you prove yourself on the pitch and have good behaviour. Team-mates will follow and help. Last season's team was the easiest to coach because the ego was low in the dressing room.
“The veterans [Luka] Modric, [Toni] Kroos, [Dani] Carvajal, Nacho, they have no ego. They were examples to everyone who had them in front of their eyes. From a relational point of view, it was great. No player complained about not playing. It was a dream.”
Yet, last season’s team are a distant memory, and Los Blancos are currently stuttering in Europe and remain in second domestically to La Blaugrana, who demolished them 4-0 in October’s El Clasico.
Star signing Mbappe is now firing with 10 goals in all competitions this season – eight of those coming in just 13 league matches – but fingers continue to be pointed at him, with a recent penalty miss in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield a notable blemish.
However, though it may seem as though the superstar Frenchman has acted like a spanner thrown into the works, Ancelotti rebukes such an idea, instead claiming that Mbappe has no inflated ego after being integrated perfectly.
“No. Absolutely not,” Los Blancos boss Ancelotti promptly replied when questioned whether his side's new 25-year-old star has a large ego.
“He arrived here and immediately integrated well with the team, with his teammates, building good relationships with them. He arrived with a perfect state of mind.”
His character often came into question during his time at PSG, but for now, Ancelotti seems adamant the Frenchman is not part of their problems at the Bernabeu.
Juniorpope
7
but this season the guy is not poor come on people