Carlo Ancelotti says his Real Madrid squad is complete, even without the addition of Kylian Mbappé, following Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Manchester United in Houston.
Madrid’s new €103 million ($115 million) signing, Jude Bellingham, opened the scoring early at the AT&T Stadium with a fine finish, before another summer signing, Joselu scored the second goal with a spectacular strike.
Ancelotti has repeatedly said that he is satisfied with his team.
“The squad is fine,” Ancelotti said on Wednesday, as quoted by ESPN.
“We won’t have any problems with the squad. The problem is having a squad without quality… The squad is great. Complete,” he continued.
Asked specifically about Mbappé, the Italian was blunt: “Next question”.
Victory over United means Madrid have won both of their pre-season friendlies in the United States so far, following a 3-2 victory over AC Milan in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on Sunday.
The La Liga giants have added Bellingham, Joselu, Arda Guler, Fran Garcia and Brahim Diaz to their squad this summer.
“[The goal] Bellingham showed the quality he has,” said Ancelotti. “He timed his run from deep well. [Antonio] Rudiger gave him a fantastic pass and he scored. And Joselu is a goal you rarely see.”
Mbappé is training with PSG’s reserves after being left out of a tour of Japan, with the French club looking to pressure the striker to extend his contract after next summer or move soon, rather than leaving on a free transfer.
With Joselu the only natural striker in the current Madrid team, Ancelotti is experimenting with a new 4-4-2 formation with strikers Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes.
“It’s going well,” he said. “I think Vinicius is adapting. He prefers to play inside… Rodrygo and Vinicius are very dangerous with the ball. We can be more direct in transition, and Bellingham’s quality helps with that.”
Madrid will face Barcelona in Arlington, Texas on Saturday and then Juventus in Orlando, Florida on August 2 before returning from the United States ahead of the new LaLiga season.
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gündogan said that while he understood the final decision was Mbappé’s, he would welcome the competition.
“Wherever he is, I think playing against him is a joy,” Gündogan told ESPN . “You know that to face players like this you have to be at your best to beat them. So it’s just about competition.
“It’s a decision he has to make personally. But I’m sure there’s a Clásicos we’ll play that will all, in terms of intensity and quality, all be incredible to watch, so I can’t wait.”
