Ancelotti outlines his demand from Mbappe

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has disclosed he approaches coaching Kylian Mbappe the same way he coached his compatriot Karim Benzema. Mbappe completed a free transfer to the Los Blancos in the summer and inherited the No. 9 jersey which was previously worn by Benzema at Madrid.
By his standards, Mbappe’s start to his Madrid era has been somewhat slow, scoring eight goals in his first 12 games for the Spanish champions. While there have been comments and criticism on the French attacker’s overall game and contributions when Madrid are out of possession, Ancelotti has made it clear he only demands goals from him. According to the Italian tactician, this was exactly the approach he adopted with Benzema before he moved to Saudi. He said, “I demand that Mbappe scores goals. I prefer him to score goals than to press. I ask Mbappe what I asked Karim Benzema, that he be ready when we recover the ball.”
Benzema’s career at the Bernabeu was a huge success, earning a legendary status before leaving for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in 2023. There are already parallels being drawn between the former Balon D’Or winner and his successor at Madrid. Benzema scored 354 goals for Madrid while winning every trophy that was up for grabs. The same expectations have already been placed on Mbappe’s shoulders. However, he would need to prove himself and that may take time.
Within the short period of his arrival, he has taken up a fundamental role within Ancelotti’s setup, leading the Los Blancos’ scorers in La Liga with six goals. He opened the scoresheet during their crucial 2-1 win over Celta Vigo last weekend, setting the tune ahead of their schedule this week. They face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday for a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final which they won, before Saturday’s El Classico against an in-form Barca team.