When Karim Benzema left Real Madrid, even though Carlo Ancelotti had the addition of Joselu, it was not enough. The Italian coach switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation to accommodate new names like Jude Bellingham. Finally, after joining, the former Dortmund star won La Liga MVP in his first season and contributed to Los Blancos' national championship and UEFA Champions League.
Jude Bellingham, along with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, cannot be left out of the squad. So with the addition of Kylian Mbappe , how will Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid operate the attack?
Ancelotti's squad will not be fully assembled until August 8 because many players will enter the summer break after Copa America and EURO 2024. Real Madrid will have 3 matches in the US as part of the tour. Summer, against AC Milan (1.8), Barcelona (4.8) and Chelsea (7.8). After that, they will have the European Super Cup match against Atalanta on August 15. The competition in Poland will see Kylian Mbappe play for his new team for the first time.
Thus, Ancelotti will have a few more matches to both play in the old way and try a new arrangement before Mbappe appears in the lineup. It is not excluded that this summer, the 65-year-old strategist will present the formula that will be the guideline for Los Blancos in the 2024-2025 season. The attack will include Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo. Meanwhile, the midfield trio is Valverde, Tchouameni and Bellingham.
This will be the way Real Madrid applies when actively attacking. On the contrary, when needing to defend, the Bernabeu team can turn to 4-4-2. At that time, Rodrygo will be the one to kick low to support, allowing Vinicius and Mbappe above to catch quick counter-attacks. This way of playing is also quite suitable for Valverde as he can play as a defensive midfielder with Tchouameni quite well.
In both of these diagrams, there is a clear contradiction: Mbappe will not be able to play in his natural position of left wing as he did in PSG and the French team. Last season, Vinicius played so well in this role that it was not easy for the Brazilian striker to lose his position.
Meanwhile, in his speech at the press conference launching Real Madrid, when asked about the position he wants to play next season, Mbappe said it would depend on Ancelotti's arrangements. He can take on any task. The staff at the Valdebebas center are also concerned about this but they all share the same opinion, Mbappe will try to adapt to every assigned position.
Mbappe's appearance may reduce Rodrygo's influence. The Brazilian striker has received questions about whether he will leave the Bernabeu this summer or not. From Rodrygo's side, he always said he would stick with Real Madrid. Meanwhile, teacher Carlo Ancelotti also showed respect and trust in his student.
With the acquisition of Mbappe, Real Madrid's scoring ability is expected to be better next season. This is necessary because Los Blancos' defense last season was not highly appreciated due to too many injuries. If a similar storm hits the penalty area like last year, the team scoring more goals will help Carlo Ancelotti have less of a headache.
Last season, Real Madrid scored 87 goals in 38 matches in La Liga (difference +61). Next season, when there is no longer a top passer like Toni Kroos, plus Luka Modric is too old, the responsibility will be placed even heavier on the shoulders of Kylian Mbappe and the attacking stars.
In addition to the trio Vinicius - Mbappe - Rodrygo, Real Madrid still has Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz and Endrick. With such offensive depth, the prospect of setting another scoring record is entirely possible.
