Mbappé Set to Make Competitive Debut for Real Madrid
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will be available to play in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, but stopped short of revealing whether the star forward will start the match.
The 25-year-old French international joined Real Madrid on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last month and has been training with his new teammates since last week. Mbappé, who represented France at Euro 2024, is part of the squad for the Super Cup clash in Warsaw, Poland.
Ancelotti joked that selecting a starting lineup for the match will be a "big problem" due to the array of talented players at his disposal, including Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Endrick, Brahim Díaz, Arda Güler, and Jude Bellingham.
"We have a lot of games. The same players can’t play all 70 games [this season]. Last year, those who played less brought a lot to the team, those who started on the bench, and that can be the key," Ancelotti said.
Mbappé’s arrival at Real Madrid has sparked debate about who will take over as the team’s first-choice penalty taker. Ancelotti refused to confirm whether Mbappé will take on the role, saying, "He takes penalties… Recently Vini has taken them well. I saw Bellingham did well in a game at the Euros. [Federico] Valverde did great [with a penalty] at the Copa América. We have a lot of takers."
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal believes Mbappé will be a key player for the team this season. "As a teammate, he’s a great player, and he’ll help us a lot to have a great season," Carvajal said.
The UEFA Super Cup is a prestigious trophy, with Real Madrid having won it five times, including last year’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. After the Super Cup, Real Madrid will kick off their LaLiga 2024-25 season by visiting Mallorca on Sunday.
However, Real Madrid have suffered a blow with the news that midfielder Eduardo Camavinga suffered a sprain of his knee ligaments during training on Tuesday. Sources tell us that the France international could miss up to two months with the injury.
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