El Clasico: Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti backs Kylian Mbappe to deliver as Barcelona boss Hansi Flick eyes win
Updated 25/10/2024 at 22:18 GMT+1
Kylian Mbappe has yet to find his usual prolific form in front of goal since joining Real Madrid in the summer, but Carlo Ancelotti said the French striker "knows what he has to do" in his maiden El Clasico on Saturday. Mbappe has scored eight times in 13 matches so far this season, as Real sit three points behind rivals Barca, who have enjoyed a near-perfect start under Hansi Flick.
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Kylian Mbappe is still "looking for his best form", but "knows what he has to do" in his maiden El Clasico on Saturday, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said.
The France international has scored eight times since joining the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, and notched just one goal since suffering a hamstring injury at the end of September.
He is set to make his El Clasico bow on Saturday, and having scored six goals in his last four games against the Catalan club for PSG, Ancelotti feels the striker is well-prepared for the battle.
"He has experience, he's often played against Barcelona," Ancelotti said at a news conference on Friday. "He knows what he has to do.
"His way of preparing for a game is to be very calm, very straightforward. He believes a lot in his qualities. We're confident that he'll bring something to the team [on Saturday], and so is he."
In his last two seasons before heading to the Bernabeu, Mbappe notched 85 goals in all competitions, but has seemingly taken time to adapt in a Real shirt.
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Ancelotti, though, is "satisfied" with the striker's start to life in La Liga, and feels "he'll do better" with time.
"We're satisfied," Ancelotti said. "[Mbappe] has scored goals, he's very important to the team. He's looking for his best form. We aren't in a hurry, and neither is he. Obviously he'll do better, because he has all the qualities to do better."
Sitting three points below their Clasico rivals in La Liga, Ancelotti is expecting a tough test against Flick's side.
Barca's defeat to Osasuna in September stands as the only blemish to their otherwise perfect domestic record thus far.
The Catalan club have also impressed in the UEFA Champions League, dismantling Bayern Munich 4-1 on Wednesday as Flick and Robert Lewandowski enjoyed fruitful evenings against their former side.
Ancelotti was full of praise for his counterpart in the dugout, but said he will not "lose sleep" over the proposition of facing the ex-Bayern boss, with Real themselves picking up an impressive 5-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the week.
"They're doing very well," he added. "In a game like the Clasico, like a derby, it's hard to choose a favourite. But luckily, nobody's made me lose sleep so far."
The Real boss also made clear his admiration for Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength since helping Spain to Euro 2024 glory in the summer, registering five goals and seven assists in 13 matches so far this season.
Ancelotti, while acknowledging the youngster's quality, insisted his side have to remain "focused" on their own game.
"I love his way of playing, his attitude," Ancelotti said. "He's a very dangerous player.
"You have to bear the opponent's qualities in mind, but you have to be more focused on what you want to do."
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Highlights: Vinicius stars with hat-trick as Real roar back to beat Dortmund
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IT'S 'OUR JOB' TO WIN EL CLASICO - FLICK
Barca boss Flick did not play down the magnitude of Saturday's El Clasico.
Flick, who has enjoyed a successful start to his reign in Catalonia, feels the clash between his side and Real is the pinnacle of football rivalries.
“This is why we give everything," he said. "We also have to win the Clasico. It’s our job. Everyone since you start playing football wants to play the Clasico.
"But this is the real Clasico. In Germany we have some games that are called the Clasico. But it’s not the same compared with Barca against Real Madrid, or Real Madrid against Barca. Everybody is happy. They have to enjoy it. And to enjoy it you have to work hard. And we will do that.”
Barca's prolific goal scoring has been the theme of their impressive start to the season.
Lewandowski's 15 goals in 13 matches under his former boss has planted the Barca striker firmly at the top of La Liga's scoring charts, while Raphinha has also impressed, mostly recently netting a hat-trick against Bayern in their Champions League thrashing.
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Highlights: Raphinha nets hat-trick, Lewandowski haunts former club as Barca thrash Bayern
Video credit: TNT Sports
Flick, though, still feels his side can get better.
“We have to improve a little bit," he said. "It’s also like that with every match we play. We adapt to the next match. The same thing we’re doing against Real Madrid.
"Also against Bayern Munich and the other teams in La Liga we’ve played before. They also have players who are very fast. Now we play against Real Madrid, a team with world-class players.
"But in the end, I have a big belief in my team because they were doing really great (against Bayern Munich) after struggling a little bit.
"I believe in the team. We have a lot of quality without and with the ball. This is what we want to see. That everybody is playing or running for each other. This is the most important thing. That we are one team who knows what to do. And also when we play together, it’s our big strength.”
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