Mbappe ‘ego’ remark from Ancelotti speaks volumes about his character

Carlo Ancelotti insists Kylian Mbappe's ego is not inflated or causing a problem, even though the start to his Real Madrid career has not exactly been smooth sailing.

While many expected that adding a touch of Mbappé to the already impenetrable Los Blancos cohort – featuring superstars like Jude Bellingham and Ballon d'Or runner-up Vinicius Junior – would deliver the perfect and unstoppable recipe, this is not the been a case. until now.

Although Ancelotti has claimed that Real Madrid's Champions League-winning side last season was the easiest he has coached, his superstars have been slow out of the gate in La Liga this season – Mbappe failed to score in his first three league games – and they are down four. points behind rival Barcelona. However, they suffered the most in the Champions League.

Of their five European games, Real have won just two, and while it must be said their run has been difficult, they remain well below their lofty standards. With Mbappe essentially the only major change from last season's double winners, he has borne the brunt of such criticism after such high expectations. Although Ancelotti denies he has become a problem as the team has also been plagued by injuries this season.

“Usually the best players are the easiest to manage,” Ancelotti told L'Equipe. “They may have a big ego, but that may be their motivation.

“It's not a problem to have a big ego if you prove yourself on the field and behave well. Teammates will follow and help. Last season's team was the easiest to coach because the ego was low in the locker room.

“The veterans [Luka] Modrian, [Toni] Kroes, [Dani] Carvajal, Nacho, they have no ego. They were an example to everyone who met them. From a relational point of view it was great. Not a single player complained about not playing. It was a dream.”

Still, last season's team is a distant memory, and Los Blancos are currently stuttering in Europe and remain in second place domestically behind La Blaugrana, who beat them 4-0 in October's El Clasico.

Star signing Mbappe now has 10 goals in all competitions this season – including eight in just 13 league games – but fingers continue to point at him, with a recent penalty miss in a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. remarkable blemish.

While it may seem as if the superstar Frenchman has acted as a spanner in the works, Ancelotti rebukes such a notion and instead claims that Mbappe does not have an inflated ego after being perfectly integrated.

“No. Absolutely not,” Los Blancos boss Ancelotti promptly replied when asked whether his side's new 25-year-old star has a big ego.

“He arrived here and immediately integrated well with the team and his teammates, building good relationships with them. He arrived in a perfect state of mind.”

His character has often been questioned during his time at PSG, but for now Ancelotti seems confident the Frenchman is not part of their problems at the Bernabeu.