“The first season, he surprised a lot” – Real Madrid Manager Carlo Ancelotti Reveals What Kylian Mbappe’s Addition Means For Jude Bellingham – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has stated Kylian Mbappe’s addition will not affect last season’s standout performer Jude Bellingham. The manager believes Bellingham surprised everyone with his performances last season and has assured he will get to stretch his legs this term as well.
Kylian Mbappe Signing Might Force Carlo Ancelotti To Change Up His Winning Formation
After years of negotiation, Mbappe officially became a Real Madrid player earlier this summer. The 25-year-old, who is arguably the best player in the world, should be one of the first names on Ancelotti’s team sheet, but accommodating him will not be easy. Mbappe likes to operate in and around the left-inside channel, where Vinicius Jr. lingers. Given how brilliant Vinicius Jr. has been for Madrid, Ancelotti cannot risk tampering with his development plan.
The obvious choice is to deploy Mbappe down the No. 9 position and allow Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo to flank him. However, this spells trouble for Bellingham, who occupied the center-forward position time and again in the 2023-24 season.
Real Madrid Boss Assures Jude Bellingham
Discussing how Mbappe’s integration will affect Bellingham, Ancelotti said (via BBC Sport):
“Nothing changes for him. Nothing changes. The first season, he surprised a lot, because he showed fantastic quality, a really mature guy.
“The next season will not be different. He is going to be one of the best players that we have, supporting a lot the team with his quality.”
Bellingham was in blistering form for Los Merengues in the 2023-24 season, scoring 23 goals and providing 13 assists in 42 matches across competitions. His heroics helped Madrid to the La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League, and Supercopa de Espana.
Real Madrid are currently on their pre-season tour in the United States. Bellingham, who helped England to the final of the 2024 European Championship (EURO 2024), has yet to join his teammates. He is enjoying an extra few days of rest due to his participation in EURO 2024.
Los Blancos have had a poor pre-season tournament so far. They have lost their first two matches — 1-0 to AC Milan & 2-1 to Barcelona — and must redeem themselves in the clash against Chelsea on Tuesday, August 6.
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