Frank Christian
Real Madrid is gearing up for their upcoming La Liga match against Real Valladolid on August 25.
After a lackluster 1-1 draw against Mallorca in their title defense opener, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad featured Kylian Mbappe in his league debut for the club.
Ancelotti stuck with the same starting lineup that secured a 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final, including Mbappe, Rodrygo Goes, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior.
While these four are likely to retain their starting positions in the first home game at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu this season, Ancelotti is grappling with achieving the right balance.
As the Gaffer juggles tactics and player egos, another challenge looms over deciding the primary penalty taker, following last season’s rotation policy.
With club captain Luka Modric no longer a guaranteed starter and previous penalty misses by him and Rodrygo, the spotlight is on Bellingham and Vinicius Jr.
Bellingham converted his sole penalty in La Liga, while Vinicius Jr boasts a perfect record of three out of three in all competitions.
Mbappe’s arrival introduces a fresh dilemma as his penalty success rate of 82.35% from 51 attempts overshadows Vinicius’ 100% club record, including goals against Barcelona and Bayern Munich last season.
Ancelotti must navigate through this penalty conundrum as he attempts to find the right balance for his squad.
