New Delhi: Real Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti has noted that Kylian Mbappe remains unaffected by all the media speculation. The France captain’s representatives had dismissed the accusations that linked him with a rape case in Stockholm as “totally false”.
Mbappe didn’t participate in France’s Nations League game during the international break due to a thigh injury. Instead, he had chosen to continue working on the training grounds and briefly visited Stockholm with friends. The Swedish media had linked the 25-year-old with the police investigation, which Mbappe’s representatives have called a “slanderous rumour.
With La Liga returning to action this week, Ancelotti commented on Mbappe’s fitness and reported that the French forward has “improved his condition.” As Real Madrid take on Celta Vigo, Los Blancos’ manager felt that the break had done him good Mbappe had come back a much different player.
🎙| Ancelotti: “Kylian Mbappé is feeling very good, he’s happy and needed these 15 days of rest. He’s a different player than before the international break.” pic.twitter.com/UCgM2jjVe8
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 18, 2024
Ancelotti, however, avoided questions about the ongoing speculations regarding Mbappe and only commented on the “work he’s done”. Ancelotti noted that the days off were “programmed” for Mbappe, and he doesn’t want to interfere with where players choose to recover.
For Madrid, Mbappe was back in action before the international break and was playing as a substitute against Lile in the Champions League and started against Villarreal. Ancelotti concluded that Mbappe was completely fit and it was always a “pleasure to see him train”.
Real Madrid’s squad injuries
According to ESPN, Brazil’s forward Vinicius Junior has also recovered from the injury that had caused him to miss international games. He is expected to take the field for Madrid when they face Celta. Ancelotti noted that the break was Vinicius as well, having “worked hard and taken rest days for recovery”. Ancelotti noted that while he felt both Mbappe and Vinicius were fine, their progress will be judged on the field when they take on Celta.
The 65-year-old manager also confirmed that he hadn’t requested any signings for Madrid during the January transfer period to replace Dani Carvajal, who is recovering from a serious knee injury. While the right-back is highly dependent on Carvajal, Ancelotti has said he doesn’t want any “reinforcements.”
Having already dealt well with injuries last season, Ancelotti felt that he could manage this season as well. He concluded that while they won’t rule out finding an “ideal player” for Madrid, finding good players who fit in the club’s squad isn’t that simple.
