Carlo Ancelotti hints at Kylian Mbappe tactical plan still to be settled | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti is typically unflustered over where to fit Kylian Mbappe into his Real Madrid team in the 2024/25 season.

Los Blancos completed a free transfer deal to sign the France captain ahead of Euro 2024 after months of speculation on his future.

Mbappe has since been formally presented as a Real Madrid player before departing on a summer break until the end of the month.

Ancelotti is still finalising his squad plans for the preseason tour of the USA but Mbappe is almost certain to be rested.

The veteran Italian faces a key call on slotting Mbappe into an attack which won the La Liga and UEFA Champions League double last season.

Jude Bellingham netted 19 league goals, with Vinicius Junior on 15, and the Brazilian plays in Mbappe’s preferred left sided role.

Ancelotti told an interview on John Obi Mikel’s podcast the key is not finding a place for Mbappe but ensuring tactical harmony in his front line.

“I see him playing up front. The attack is very wide, the pitch is 68 metres, we have to cover that. The key is the mobility of the players, sometimes he’ll play left, sometimes in the middle”, he said.

“If you look at last season, Vinicius didn’t play as a left winger, he moved inside a lot.”

With Mbappe not involved in preseason action for Los Blancos he is expected to make his debut in the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta on August 14.