![Mbappe ready for Bernabeu bow as Ancelotti seeks Madrid balance](https://www.americanmarconiwirelessnews.com/media/shared/articles/19/29/43/Mbappe-ready-for-Bernabeu-bow-as-An-178382.jpg)
-
Macron, ex-PM remember bloody liberation of French port
-
Noel Gallagher's 'Brit Pop' guitars go under hammer
-
US clears way for hearing aid feature in new Apple AirPods Pro
-
Hamilton not disappointed by Newey move to Aston Martin
-
Final report clears WADA in Chinese swimmers case, adds rules need strengthening
-
US calls for Africa to get two permanent UN Security Council seats
-
Burrow's Bengals aim to bounce back against Chiefs
-
Ingebrigtsen says getting stronger, bullish over world records
-
Putin warns West risks 'war' if it backs Ukraine long-range strikes
-
Peru mourns divisive former strongman Fujimori
-
Vaughan's son takes 11 wickets as Somerset revive title bid by beating champions Surrey
-
Long-awaited case on Man City charges to start on Monday: report
-
PSG refuse League order to pay Mbappe disputed €55 million
-
Harris, Trump target swing states after fierce debate
-
Ten Hag hits back at Ronaldo criticism over Man Utd ambition
-
Oscar hopefuls to bookend US French film festival
-
UN chief calls for 'courage' ahead of Summit of the Future
-
French rugby federation blames 'poorly managed' supervision for youth player drowning
-
Movie producer Harvey Weinstein indicted on new charges: US media
-
Ex-Scotland captain Hogg to miss Montpellier match after bail release
-
'Historic': Bad weather slashes wine harvest in France's Jura
-
ECB rate cut boosts European stocks, euro
-
Piastri not 'pulling over' for Norris at every race
-
'Energised' Tebogo looking to close season with Diamond League bang
-
Millions in SE Asia battle floods, death toll passes 250
-
Fiat 500 electric production pauses for one month
-
London Fashion Week opens with Charli XCX party and second-hand runways
-
ECB cuts rates again, Lagarde backs EU reform call
-
Storm Francine downgraded but still drenching US south
-
Everton say 'work to be done' on Textor takeover
-
Shelling kills 3 Red Cross workers in E.Ukraine
-
Shelling kills 3 Red Cross workers killed in E.Ukraine
-
Iran president makes 'historic' visit to Iraqi Kurdistan
-
Brigitte Macron awarded damages over false trans claim
-
ECB rate cut boosts Europeans stocks, euro
-
Deadly Israeli strike on Gaza school draws global condemnation
-
Russia recaptures part of Kursk region
-
Bike-loving Dutch grapple with 'fatbike' phenomena
-
Ahead of Champions League warm-up, PSG are soaring and Brest slumping
-
ECB cuts rates again as inflation slows
-
Denmark's von Trier to direct a new film
-
Arteta agrees new Arsenal deal
-
Jon Bon Jovi helps woman standing on edge of US bridge
-
SpaceX makes history with first spacewalks by private citizens
-
England's Livingstone 'feels like a kid again' after injury setbacks
-
Brazil urges EU to suspend 'punitive' anti-deforestation law
-
Myanmar residents flee deadly floods in boats and on makeshift rafts
-
Power struggle and chaotic player trading: What's going at Chelsea?
-
Blinken seeks common cause in Poland after Ukraine jitters
-
Stocks rally on cooler US inflation, before ECB rate call
RBGPF | 4.7% | 59.81 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.16% | 25.2 | $ | |
BCC | 3.63% | 126.69 | $ | |
AZN | -2.17% | 78.82 | $ | |
GSK | -1.58% | 43.09 | $ | |
RYCEF | 2.33% | 6.45 | $ | |
SCS | 0.52% | 13.41 | $ | |
BTI | -0.35% | 38.985 | $ | |
RELX | 1.58% | 47.905 | $ | |
NGG | -0.25% | 69.15 | $ | |
RIO | 1.02% | 61.84 | $ | |
JRI | -0.04% | 13.175 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.17% | 25.174 | $ | |
BCE | 0.19% | 35.258 | $ | |
VOD | 0% | 10.04 | $ | |
BP | 0.93% | 31.585 | $ |
![Mbappe ready for Bernabeu bow as Ancelotti seeks Madrid balance](https://www.americanmarconiwirelessnews.com/media/shared/articles/19/29/43/Mbappe-ready-for-Bernabeu-bow-as-An-178382.jpg)
Mbappe ready for Bernabeu bow as Ancelotti seeks Madrid balance
Kylian Mbappe's La Liga debut for Real Madrid did not go as planned as Los Blancos drew at Mallorca last weekend, with coach Carlo Ancelotti believing the Spanish champions lacked "balance".
The French superstar striker will make his first home appearance for Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday against promoted side Real Valladolid, owned by former Madrid forward and Brazil great Ronaldo.
Mbappe is on course to enjoy a similarly sizable legacy in football, but is hoping to make a far greater impact at Madrid than Ronaldo was able to, during the club's 'galactico' era.
Ronaldo won just one La Liga title and failed to lift the Champions League during five seasons in the Spanish capital between 2002-07.
One of the biggest problems during that period was a top-heavy side which boasted several superstar attackers but lost lynchpin Claude Makelele.
Ancelotti has lined up with Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham in the 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta and the 1-1 Mallorca draw, but criticised his team's balance after both matches
"We just had to do better, with more attitude, you can learn from these games - it's clear where the problem is," Ancelotti told reporters last week.
"We need to defend better, we need more balance."
One issue for Madrid is that Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo all prefer to be shifted towards the left flank.
Another is that by playing all three forwards, Bellingham is pushed back into a midfield role, when it seems after last season's superb debut campaign where he helped Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League, he is most content contributing in attacking areas.
"(Balance) is found by all players thinking the same thing - when it comes to getting the ball back we all have to think about it together," continued the Italian coach.
"It's a team problem that they didn't understand was a key aspect in this game, Mallorca played a great game in a defensive sense, better than us."
While visitors Real Valladolid, who beat fellow promoted side Espanyol in their first match, do not pose too much threat to Madrid on paper, the sooner Ancelotti can get his team firing on all cylinders the happier he will be.
After years of links to Madrid, Mbappe completed his dream move this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.
The forward clinically struck against Atalanta in Warsaw but was shut out by Mallorca and their goalkeeper Dominik Greif.
Mbappe will hope to mark his first Bernabeu appearance for Madrid with a goal, weeks after he was greeted there by over 80,000 fans at his presentation.
Once Madrid's forwards are on song, they will be difficult for any side to stop.
"When I saw them running towards me, I just prayed to God and asked myself -- 'what am I doing here?'" admitted Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo.
Madrid's remarkable firepower could prove a double-edged sword with teams rising to the challenge of stopping the attacking quartet dubbed the "fantastic four".
"We're going to face the best team in the world, with one of the best coaches in history and the best attack in the world today," said Valladolid coach Paulo Pezzolano.
"We know what we're going to face, but we're going there convinced that we're going to compete and bring something back home, knowing that it's difficult, but that we can do it."
Player to watch: Julian Alvarez
The former Manchester City striker made his Atletico debut as a substitute at Villarreal in their opening fixture but could be given a bigger role against Girona on Sunday as he makes his first appearance at the Metropolitano stadium for Diego Simeone’s new-look Rojiblancos.
Key stats
0 - Real Valladolid were the only team in La Liga not to concede a goal in the opening round of fixtures
2 - With a brace against Valencia, Robert Lewandowski is the division's top scorer
17 - French players appeared in week one, the most represented nationality behind 285 Spaniards
Fixtures
Friday (all times GMT)
Celta Vigo v Valencia (1700), Sevilla v Villarreal (1930)
Saturday
Osasuna v Real Malloca (1500), Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao (1700), Espanyol v Real Sociedad, Getafe v Rayo Vallecano (both 1930)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1500), Leganes v Las Palmas (1700), Alaves v Real Betis (1715), Atletico Madrid v Girona (1930)
A.Malone--AMWN