Kylian Mbappé seems set to make his debut for Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta on Wednesday.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti mentioned that the French striker looked fit after the European Championship and was adjusting well to the team after a week of practice.
Mbappé “could play tomorrow,” Ancelotti said Tuesday at a press conference at the National Stadium in Warsaw, where the match will take place.
The 25-year-old Mbappé is the main attraction in Warsaw after finally joining Madrid following a lengthy process with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain. He was introduced to Madrid’s fans at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium last month but missed the U.S. tour as he rested after Euro 2024.
He joins a group of top forwards at Madrid, including Vinícius Júnior, new Brazilian signing Endrick, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Arda Güler.
Ancelotti joked that he faced a “huge problem” and that deciding who might play up front “has ruined my holidays.”
“The simplest thing,” the 65-year-old Ancelotti said, “is to know that good players are always going to play and will always bring something to the team.”
“There are no issues for us because there are so many games. I can’t imagine relying on the same 11 players for over 70 games.”
When asked if Mbappé’s arrival had changed the mood in the locker room, Ancelotti said through a translator: “The atmosphere is very positive and healthy, created by players who have been here like Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric, and Federico Valverde. There are no special treatment or hierarchy here.”
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini wants all of Madrid’s stars to play against his team.
“For me, it is important that the team plays well without worrying about who is there or not,” Gasperini said.
“I hope the best players play because only the strongest can earn the most respect.”
The Italian team will start as the underdog, similar to how they were before beating Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final to win their first European title and first trophy in 61 years.
But Gasperini said Atalanta was not discouraged. “We come with our usual enthusiasm and eagerness to make an impression,” he said.
The Super Cup is an annual match between the winners of the previous season’s Champions League and Europa League.
