Carlo Ancelotti has sent a warning to Real Madrid’s La Liga rivals, declaring that the adaptation period for Kylian Mbappé at the club is now over.
The French forward, who joined Los Blancos from Paris Saint-Germain during the summer, had faced some inconsistency in his performances but has shown glimpses of the brilliance that defines him as one of the world’s best players.
Mbappe, 26, has netted 13 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid. Ancelotti believes those numbers will only improve moving forward.
“His adaptation period is over. He’s shown a good version of himself, and while he can still improve, he’s been excellent in recent games,” said Ancelotti during a press conference. “He’s over the little injury he had and is more motivated, excited, and happy to be here.”
Mbappe returned to action midweek, scoring in Real Madrid’s victory over Pachuca to secure the Intercontinental Cup. However, his season hasn’t been without challenges, including off-field issues and the task of finding synergy with teammates like Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Ancelotti sees consistency as Mbappe’s next step. “He needs to make those exceptional moves he’s capable of more frequently. I don’t ask him to be overly involved in the build-up play because of his characteristics, but when he gets free, he must finish clinically.”
Real Madrid, sitting third in La Liga, host Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday as they look to keep pace in a tight title race. Joint league leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid clash on Saturday, adding further intrigue to the competition.
“It will be a league more contested than in recent years,” noted Ancelotti. “Atletico have what it takes to fight for it. It will be an entertaining race, and the title could be won with fewer than 90 points.”
