Ancelotti Hails Mbappe as Real Madrid Reclaim LaLiga Top Spot

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Kylian Mbappe as the 'best centre forward in the world' after his two goals helped the team reclaim top spot in LaLiga with a 4-1 win over Las Palmas.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was thrilled with Kylian Mbappe's performance in their 4-1 win over Las Palmas on Sunday. Mbappe scored twice, helping the defending champions rise to the top of the LaLiga standings. Ancelotti expressed his admiration for the French forward, stating, “(Mbappe is) the best centre forward in the world, there should be no doubts as to whether he could play in that position.”

Ancelotti revealed that he never doubted Mbappe's ability to find his form, despite a slow start in the Spanish capital after his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The Italian coach highlighted Mbappe's strengths in a more centralised role up front. “He is a great striker who is very good playing in the centre, rather than on the wing, because that way he can make the most of his unique runs, with speed and technique,” Ancelotti explained during a press conference on Sunday.

Real Madrid's win over Las Palmas came after a challenging week, which saw them suffer a 5-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup and struggle to overcome Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. The team started the game against Las Palmas on the back foot, conceding a goal just 25 seconds after kick-off. However, they were able to recover and secure a convincing victory, thanks in large part to Mbappe's impressive performance.

Real Madrid Reclaim Top Spot

Guided by an inspired Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid managed to overcome their early setback and secure a 4-1 win over Las Palmas. This victory, combined with Atletico Madrid's 1-0 loss at Leganes on Saturday, allowed Real Madrid to retake the lead in the league standings. Manager Carlo Ancelotti was encouraged by his team's performance, which came after a challenging week. “In times of difficulty, it is necessary to be self-critical and positive in order to move forward,” Ancelotti said.

Ancelotti acknowledged that the team's recent struggles, including a 5-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, had led to criticism and booing from the fans. However, he believed that this criticism had served as a useful wake-up call for the team. “There is criticism and criticism. The booing at the Santiago Bernabeu hurt because the fans are not happy, but it motivates,” Ancelotti explained. He also expressed his confusion at the notion that Real Madrid play “very bad football,” given their position at the top of the league standings. “Football is like that, but I'm still a bit confused because I've heard that we play very bad football but here we are, LaLiga leaders.”

🤍🗣️ @KMbappe: “Hola #Madridistas. Very happy about the victory today, we’re leaders now, we’ve got to continue like this. Hala Madrid!”#RealMadridLasPalmas pic.twitter.com/L9hfZyzsAd

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 19, 2025

Real Madrid's win has propelled them to the top of the LaLiga standings with 46 points, two ahead of their local rivals Atletico Madrid in second place. Barcelona trails by seven points in third place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Getafe.