Mbappe Remains Center Stage at Real Madrid as Alaba and Vinicius Approach Injury Comebacks
Click to start listening
Madrid (Spain), Dec 6 (NationPress) Real Madrid's manager Carlo Ancelotti was compelled to field questions about Kylian Mbappe's performance once more on Friday, ahead of Saturday's La Liga clash with Girona. The team journeyed to the northeast of Spain after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, where they were thoroughly outplayed and outpaced.
Mbappe seemed to have moved past his troubling form since joining Madrid with a goal against Getafe last weekend, but concerns reemerged on Wednesday as he was contained by the Athletic defense and had his second penalty saved in just over a week by goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.
“We must evaluate everything and help him understand how to enhance his performance on the field,” stated Ancelotti about the French star. “I believe he has made significant progress regarding the intensity of his game. He is performing at a commendable level, and we need to provide him with support,” he added.
Ancelotti expressed that he thought part of Mbappe's challenges at Madrid stemmed from “continuity,” noting, “That will develop as he and his teammates align with his distinct individual traits, but it will happen gradually,” as reported by Xinhua. The Italian coach faces challenges due to injuries affecting forward Vinicius Jr and midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, alongside long-term injuries to Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and David Alaba. However, he shared some positive news, revealing that Vinicius would be fit for the crucial Champions League match against Atalanta next week and mentioned that Alaba had resumed training with the team after recovering from a prolonged knee injury.
Girona faced disappointment midweek when they were eliminated from the Copa del Rey by fourth-tier Logrones, who played for approximately half an hour with a player down.
Nonetheless, Michel Sanchez's squad has shown improvement in La Liga, achieving three victories and a draw in their last four matches, as the coach has been gradually reintegrating players following a rocky start to the season marred by injuries and the departure of key players over the summer.
