The Real Madrid coach spoke about what he expected to see from the French forward as he looked back over the past 12 months.
There was plenty of talking points in Carlo Ancelotti’s last press conference of 2024 and what he expects to see in 2025 - a title race which will be decided with under 90 points... and a more motivated Mbappé.
It’s been an exhausting year for the coach who by early evening tomorrow, will have given 114 press conferences during the past 12 months and faced over 1,150 questions. “Is the footballers' schedule more exhausting, or the coach’s?” we ask. He smiles, then replies: “The footballers', obviously! I enjoy the press conferences. 10% of the questions can be a bit ugly, but in general we have a good time.”
Real Madrid bring the year to a close at home to Sevilla, who have slipped into the lower half of the table after winning just four of their last 10 league games. Ancelotti’s team remain in the fight in third on 37 points - just one point behind Barcelona and Atletico who meet each other later tonight.
How exciting is this match?
We’re returning to the Bernabéu after many away games... and we want to end 2024 well. By winning. Sevilla is competing well in all of their games. I will be a tough game, but the goal will be to end the year with a victory.
Mbappé seems to be looking much happier...
His adaptation period is over. He is already showing how good he is, although he can still improve. He has recovered from his last injury and to me, he seems him more motivated now, he’s more excited. He needed this time, as anyone does, but it has now come to an end.
It’s Barça-Atlético tonight... What are you expecting?
This year’s league will be more competitive than in recent years. Atlético has all the resources to fight for the title and I am sure they will do so. It will be entertaining. And you can become champions with less than 90 points.
What has been your happiest moment of 2024? And the saddest?
The happiest... there are many. It’s been a fantastic year, perhaps unrepeatable, I don’t know. We’ll try, because this squad has a very high level. Maybe the Champions League has been the happiest, it always is. The saddest... I don’t know, because we haven’t lost much this year. The 0-4 defeat to Barcelona, maybe. I have asked Santa Claus for no more criticism in 2025. But it’s normal, you can’t escape it.
The other day you called this game “unfortunate”... Why?
Because we could have gone on holiday after the Intercontinental Cup, that’s all. And because it will be a tough match. It’s risky. It’s a last-ditch effort.
In 2024, including tomorrow, you will have played 57 games, which means 114 press conferences and approximately 1,150 questions. What is more exhausting, the players' schedule, or the coach’s?
(Laughs) Obviously the one about footballers! (Laughs) I enjoy press conferences, that’s the truth. About 10% of the questions can be a bit nasty, but in general we have a pretty good time. Imagine 1,000 questions a year... (Smiles). I think so, we’ve had a good time.
Have you assessed the ‘unnecessary losses’? Because that is one of the things that seems to worry you the most...
Unnecessary losses’ are something we need to talk about because, as the word says, they are ‘unnecessary’. We are talking about it because there is room for improvement. Sometimes we take risks that we don’t need to.
How is Mendy?
He has recovered and is available for tomorrow. Alaba is also back training. I think he will return to the group on the 30th and will be available, perhaps, by mid-January.
What is your opinion on how the full-backs have performed?
Both have done very well, Lucas and Fran García. They have played many games, contributing to the team. I don’t think I’ll put Valverde in there... unless it’s an emergency. And we’re trying out Asencio, who by characteristics can do it, although from a more defensive than offensive profile, of course.
In the last 17 years, the two Brazilians who have been voted best in the world, Kaká and Vinicius, were trained by you... What have you brought to them?
I have only given them confidence. And you only have to give that to players of that talent, because they have the talent to be the best in the world.
What grade would you give this year? And what would you like to achieve in 2025 that you haven’t achieved this year?
A great achievement, considering the many difficulties we have had. Despite everything, we have won five titles. Next year the objective will be the same: to compete, fight and win the Champions League. Again.
How would you evaluate the performances of Bellingham, Mbappé, Viniciuus and Rodrygo? Do you think they are understanding each other...
They haven’t been able to play many games together, because sometimes Rodrygo has been injured, other times Bellingham... but I see them adapting well, in general. Sometimes Mbappé has fallen to the left and Vinicius inside. Or vice versa. I don’t want to give the four a fixed position, but rather that they have mobility, freedom. Where does Kylian have to improve? In continuity. That he is able to make those plays that only he knows how to do, more frequently.