Third day of normal training for Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid City. After his three weeks of vacation, following his XXL presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (a few days after his elimination from Euro 2024 with the Blues), the 25-year-old star striker began his pre-season preparation with the Merengues on Wednesday, first with those who were also returning from vacation like his compatriots Ferland Mendy, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga or Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham.
Mbappé then discovered the rest of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad the following day. The last Champions League winners (last June 1st at Wembley) were returning from a tour of the United States with three matches on the program, for two defeats against AC Milan (0-1) and Barça (1-2) and a victory against Chelsea (2-1). And it was this Saturday morning that the Italian staff of the Casa Blanca carried out its very first tactical set-up, four days before the European Super Cup against Atalanta (the winner of the Europa League), next Wednesday in Warsaw.
Mbappé at the forefront
As reported by the Madrid press recently, Ancelotti and his assistants are starting with a 4-3-3 for the moment, with Mbappé up front, number 9 in the back, Vinicius on the left wing and Rodrygo kept in the starting eleven on the right. Jude Bellingham, number 10 in a 4-4-2 diamond last year (which allowed him to score a lot during the first half of the season), will adapt to a left relay role (Toni Kroos having retired). This formation will therefore be at work at the National Stadium (56,826 seats) against the Dea.
Real Madrid may not always play 4-3-3 this season. In addition to last season’s 4-4-2 diamond, Carlo Ancelotti has designed a flat 4-4-2, with Mbappé-Vinicius up front, Bellingham and Federico Valverde on the wings and a Tchouaméni-“Cama” midfield. Luka Modric will be the luxury joker in the middle and the prodigies Brahim Diaz and Arda Güler will be the attacking options on the wings or as number 10. There will also be a small rotation for Real’s first La Liga match in Mallorca, four days later.
