In the documentary dedicated to him by Movistar, Luis Enrique was filmed last season reframing Kylian Mbappé, whom he judged guilty of not making enough defensive effort. “I read that you liked Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan grabbed all his teammates by the balls and he defended like a son of a bitch. (…) You must give this example, firstly as a person and as a player, to go and press. You need to go squeeze Cubarsi. Squeeze it and come back quickly. For what ? To be a leader. You are a phenomenon, a world-class player, no doubt about it. But that’s not enough for me. A real leader is someone who can help you even if he doesn’t score. If you set an example for others by going to press, you know what we’re going to get? A damn… team machine! I want you to leave here through the front door. In attack, I have nothing to tell you. But you have to become the best player in history while defending. That’s a leader, that’s Michael Jordan. Is it good for you? Is everything clear? »
These comments have obviously not gone unnoticed on the other side of the Pyrenees, particularly at a time when the defensive shortcomings of Real Madrid’s Mbappé version are being singled out. Asked about his counterpart’s speech, Carlo Ancelotti did not want to take sides. “I don’t like to pass judgment on another coach. The defensive aspect is always collective and not individual“, he confided at a press conference.
