Kylian Mbappé is set to make his debut for Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta on Wednesday, as confirmed by Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti during a press conference on Tuesday. The match will take place at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland.
Ancelotti stated that Mbappé, who arrived in good physical condition after participating in the European Championship, has been adjusting well to the team dynamics during the past week of practice. “Mbappé could play tomorrow,” Ancelotti said, indicating the possibility of the French forward’s participation in the upcoming match.
The 25-year-old forward, who recently joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain, was presented to fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium last month. However, he did not participate in the club’s U.S. tour as he was resting following Euro 2024.
Mbappé joins a strong lineup of forwards at Madrid, including Vinícius Júnior, new Brazilian signing Endrick, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Arda Guler. Ancelotti, reflecting on the abundance of talent, commented, “I have a huge problem,” and jokingly mentioned that thinking about the lineup “has ruined my holidays.”
Despite the challenges of managing such a star-studded squad, Ancelotti emphasized that “good players are always going to play and are always going to bring something in,” noting that there will be no issues due to the large number of games throughout the season. “I can’t think I am going to have to count on the same 11 players for 70-something games.”
When asked about the impact of Mbappé’s arrival on the team’s atmosphere, Ancelotti, speaking through a translator, said, “It is a very clean, healthy atmosphere, the kind of atmosphere created by players who have been here like Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric, and Federico Valverde. There are no princes or kings here.”
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his desire for all of Madrid’s top players to be on the field for the match. “For me it is fundamental that the team plays a good game without thinking about who is there and who isn’t,” Gasperini said. “I hope the best play, because only with the strongest can you try to gain the maximum respect.”
Atalanta enters the Super Cup as the underdog, much like their previous encounter when they defeated Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final, securing their first European title and their first trophy in 61 years. Despite this, Gasperini maintained confidence in his team’s approach. “We come with our usual enthusiasm, our usual eagerness to try to impress,” he stated.
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual match between the winners of the previous season’s Champions League and the Europa League.
