Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that star forward Kylian Mbappe has the determination to come through a difficult period at Real Madrid following his omission from the France national team.
After the Frenchman's protracted departure from Paris Saint-Germain this past summer, many expected the attacker to shine with the Champions League winners this season.
Mbappe has scored eight times and produced two assists for Real in 15 appearances, but his overall performances have been criticised in some quarters during a relatively poor start to the season for his club.
The 25-year-old's struggles in Spain have seemingly caught the attention of France national team boss Didier Deschamps, who left the forward out of his squad for the upcoming Nations League matches in the November international break.
However, Mbappe's club manager Ancelotti believes the Frenchman has the motivation to come through this difficult spell, noting that several other Real players are also struggling.
"Mbappe is down like everyone else, but motivated to get through this moment," he told reporters.
"The problem he's having is everyone's problem. You could point at Vinicius [Junior], Rodrygo or [Jude] Bellingham. It is a difficult moment for everyone.
"We haven't hit our stride yet. You can't let your head drop, you have to hold it high.
"It's a matter for the national team coach and I have no right to judge his decisions. He made the decision and we have to accept it."
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Disharmony at Real
Real Madrid's problematic start to their 2024-25 campaign was made clear against Barcelona when they lost 4-0 against their fierce rivals in late October, as well as during their 3-1 defeat against AC Milan in the Champions League last Tuesday.
The results mean that Los Blancos are already 11 points behind leaders Barca in La Liga and are 18th in the Champions League table.
Mbappe's performance against Barcelona was particularly worrying, with the forward being caught offside by Hansi Flick's high defensive line eight times.
The fact that the Frenchman's impact in El Clasico was limited by simply removing the option to run in behind was concerning, and perhaps highlights his lack of suitability as a central forward.
Indeed, Vinicius Junior has primarily operated on the left flank this term in his favoured position, while Mbappe has been forced to play as a number nine.
The former PSG forward has had the freedom to drift across the pitch and cannot be said to have been playing as a traditional striker, but he has still struggled to be as threatening as he was in previous seasons.
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Ancelotti to find solutions
Luckily for Mbappe, Ancelotti has a proven track record of moulding groups of star players into trophy-winning teams, and there is no reason to doubt his ability to do so again.
Perhaps one solution could be to utilise Jude Bellingham in a much more advanced position so as to alleviate Mbappe of the taxing physical demands of playing as a striker.
Doing so would also provide the Frenchman with a partner to combine with in the final third, and it is possible that he would be able to better showcase his excellent movement in offensive phases.
However, there could still be an underlying problem due to the fact Mbappe and Vinicius Junior both perform best in similar spaces.
Regardless, Ancelotti appears to be confident that his team can turn their fortunes around, and given the Italian's proven history as a serial trophy winner, it would not be surprising if Real managed to claim more silverware this season.
Lewis Nolan
