AFCON 2025
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has refused to condemn Kylian Mbappe after the forward missed a penalty in the club’s 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.
That was the second penalty missed by the France captain in a week, after sending his spot-kick wide against Liverpool at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League.
When questioned about potential changes to his penalty takers, Ancelotti remained resolute.
“No changes,” he stated.
“Our penalty shooters are Mbappé, Vini [Vinicius Junior] and Jude [Bellingham]. Whoever shoots is good.”
Mbappe has struggled to light up the Bernabeu and indeed La Liga since arriving from PSG, and this penalty miss was just another chapter in what is becoming an underwhelming story.
Ancelotti, however, is eager to keep his star striker’s confidence high, and his comments demonstrate his continued faith in his trio of penalty specialists, despite Mbappe’s recent difficulties.
