 "Carlo Ancelotti feels Kylian Mbappe can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. Image: Reuters")
Carlo Ancelotti believes that Real Madrid star footballer Kylian Mbappe can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at the La Liga club. Manager Ancelotti’s praise for Mbappe came after he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday that took defending champions Real Madrid to the Champions League last 16.
‘Mbappe can reach Cristiano’s level’
Ronaldo is Real’s all-time leading scorer with 451 goals in 438 games but Ancelotti feels 26-year-old Mbappe can reach his idol’s level if he keeps working hard.
“He has the quality to reach his numbers, but he has to work, because Cristiano set the bar very high, but he is so excited to play here, he can reach Cristiano’s level,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
“Everyone was waiting for this hat-trick from him and it has finally arrived. But Mbappe is not the only one, we have many players who make a difference. And they make a difference with their collective work above their individual quality which is remarkable.”
Ancelotti also rued the fact that Real Madrid has to play in playoffs to qualify for the Champions League last 16 after finishing outside the top eight in the league standings
Real Madrid will face either Bayer Leverkusen or local rivals Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
“It’s not positive at all having to go through the knock-out because we had to play 10 games to get to the last 16,” Ancelotti said.
“We’re not coming out of a difficult period, we’re entering one because this is when the real season starts. There is no way to stop, to rest. But on an emotional level, sure, this tie has been good for us. Let’s keep rolling.”
‘Man City will have time to think about rebuilding’
Meanwhile, Man City manager Pep Guardiola said the times of greatness for the Premier League club are over as they crashed out of the tournament, suffering a 6-3 aggregate defeat.
“We have been extraordinarily extraordinary in the past, but not any more,” Guardiola told a press conference on Wednesday. “We will have time to think about (rebuilding). It’s easy to jump to conclusions like that now,” he added after the 3-1 defeat in Madrid added to a 3-2 home loss in the first leg.
“The defeat at home was hard to swallow and this one is even harder. But Real Madrid are very good and we know it. In time, we will all accept things as they are.
“But now we still have 14 games to go until the end of the season and we’ll face it as we should. Let’s think about the Premier League and the FA Cup. We will try to be in this competition again next season.”