While Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will no doubt be focused on the current challenges in front of them – capitalising on their Liga advantage and going as far as possible in the Champions League – Kylian Mbappe will be in the back of his mind. The Italian has shown less interest than almost anyone else in the Frenchman, at least publicly, but will be charged with finding a place for Mbappe without sacrificing the balance Los Blancos have found this season.
Recent reports stated that Florentino Perez was keen to see Mbappe play alongside Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, rather than in place of either of them. Diario AS say that three strategies for the arrival of Mbappe, reflecting a rough shape, have been outlined already.
The first would be to put Mbappe through the middle, no doubt interchanging with Vinicius, and move Jude Bellingham back to midfield in a 4-3-3. That would mean only two places for Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos.
Alternatively, Ancelotti could maintain the system that he used at the start of the season, with Bellingham in behind two strikers, and Mbappe replacing Rodrygo in a pair with Vinicius.
If Ancelotti wanted to stick with Bellingham starting from the left side, he could use Mbappe again instead of Rodrygo, but with Vinicius forming more of a front two with the French forward.
Ultimately, Ancelotti has plenty of time to think through things, and he has shown on multiple occasions that he is not wedded to one system. Yet it does seem that it will be either Rodrygo will be sacrificed, or a midfielder will be benched in order to accommodate Bellingham in the midfield. Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde have been head and shoulders above the other midfielders, but it might mean Kroos looking at a potential exit if he feels that Tchouameni or Camavinga will play more than him.
