Real Madrid concerned about ‘becoming PSG’ after RCD Mallorca draw highlights issues | OneFootball

Real Madrid did not expect Kylian Mbappe’s domestic debut to be a disappointment, and while the French forward showed flashes of his ability, coming unstuck against RCD Mallorca certainly provoked the ire of Carlo Ancelotti.

The key issues that the Italian pointed to were attitude, commitment and balance, which Relevo say was a deliberate attempt to make the ears of his footballers burn. The formation can be a 4-2-4 in attack, but Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham are responsible for making it into a 4-4-2 in defence, and Mallorca exploited Los Blancos in their areas.

The fear is that with Toni Kroos’ exit and Mbappe’s arrival, the dynamics of the team push Real Madrid into splitting into a defence and an attack with little in between. “We don’t have to be PSG,” is the half-serious, half-joking phrase that has been commented around Valdebebas.

Los Blancos are keen to avoid what they saw at PSG when Mbappe was flanked by Neymar Junior and Lionel Messi, with the three staying forward and the rest of the side defending. Meanwhile the collapse of the Galacticos, when Claude Makelele left the Santiago Bernabeu to fit in more forward-thinking players, is also pointed to as prior experience of something similar.

Last season it was reported that Florentino Perez was keen to see all four of Bellingham, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in action, while Carlo Ancelotti had concerns about the defensive balance of doing so. It would not be the first time that Ancelotti has made political selections early in the season, only for the accompanying issues to give him a platform to alter things as he pleases.