Carlo Ancelotti sets himself early 2025 task with Real Madrid player | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti does not seem like the type to set himself a new year’s resolution for the next 12 months, knowing that planning too far ahead the Santiago Bernabeu can be foolhardy. However he has set himself a first target of the year.

Los Blancos have a packed schedule in January, with La Liga, the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercup all on the line. Relevo say one of his focuses is to get Ferland Mendy back to his best though. The Frenchman has been out of sorts, nursing various injuries, and sitting on the bench behind Fran Garcia at times. They also note that in the Champions League the percentage of duels he has won has fallen by 15.5% compared to last year, while he also wins the ball back 0.8 times less per game.

Mendy was a stalwart for Ancelotti last year, and the Italian has been his strongest advocate at Real Madrid in recent years, earning him a renewal until 2028. Beyond his own credit, with Dani Carvajal out of action on the other side of defence, Mendy seems a much more direct route to a solid defence than Garcia, and with an attacking line-up ahead of him, Mendy’s defensive instincts could be key.