Former Real Madrid manager discusses Mbappe and Ancelotti – ‘He is always in a weak position’ | OneFootball

Jorge Valdano, the former Real Madrid forward and coach, recently shared his thoughts on the club’s present situation in an insightful interview with Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Now 69 years old, Valdano discussed the challenges Kylian Mbappe is facing at Real Madrid, as well as offering his perspective on Carlo Ancelotti’s future with the team.

Valdano started by reflecting on Mbappe’s current struggles, noting that adaptation to a new environment is often difficult for players, especially when they move to a club as prominent as Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s problems

He pointed out that Mbappe had never left France before joining the Spanish giants, which in itself posed a sociological challenge.

Kylian Mbappe had troubles adapting. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The change in culture and surroundings could be causing anxiety for the young Frenchman, a feeling that Valdano describes as one of the greatest enemies of any footballer.

“It’s a question of adaptation. Mbappe left his country, France, for the first time and that took him sociologically out of his comfort zone.

“This may have led to a process of anxiety, and anxiety is the great enemy of the footballer,” he explained.

Furthermore, Valdano emphasised the difference in football culture between France and Spain. In France, football is not as deeply ingrained in daily life as it is in Spain.

“In France, football is not as culturally important as it is here in Spain. This can be seen simply on the television channel DAZN, which has perhaps 100,000 to 200,000 subscribers in France.”

He explained that in Spain, the club is not just newsworthy on Sundays, but throughout the entire week.

“Real Madrid, on the other hand, is not only the news leader on Sundays but also on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays,” he noted.

Thoughts on Ancelotti

Valdano says Carlo Ancelotti will always be under pressure. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Turning to Ancelotti’s future, Valdano was candid about the challenges faced by managers at a club like Real Madrid. He remarked that the coach, regardless of his achievements, is always under pressure.

Even though Ancelotti has guided the team to win both the league and the Champions League, he still faces criticism when results don’t go as expected.

“It doesn’t matter what the name of the Real Madrid coach is, he is always in a weak position, three games into the crisis.”

In Real Madrid, the atmosphere can quickly turn hostile, with calls for change often arising after just a few poor results. This relentless pressure, according to Valdano, is a constant reality for any coach at the club.

“In other words: done. We are talking about the current coach who has won the championship and the Champions League,” he concluded.