Ancelotti Backs Mbappé to Overcome Slump in Form

Carlo Ancelotti has expressed confidence in Kylian Mbappé overcoming his current rough patch. The striker has scored only once in his last seven appearances for Real Madrid, failing to hit the back of the net in four successive matches against Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Osasuna.

Despite his lack of form, Mbappé spent the international break training with club teammates in Madrid, as he did not make the French national team's squad. Ancelotti, speaking in a news conference on Saturday, said that the player has trained hard and his condition is much improved.

Reaffirming his faith in the France captain, Ancelotti brushed aside suggestions that Mbappé needed extra training on his movements both with and without the ball. Instead, he revealed that the team's focus lay more on the defense, including experimenting with right-back options.

Madrid's away game against Leganés will be pivotal, especially considering an upcoming crucial Champions League match against Liverpool. With Madrid languishing down in 18th position in the UCL table, an in-form Mbappé would provide a much-needed boost.

Despite starting the season in stunning form, Mbappé's goalscoring run has dried up. Ancelotti, however, remains unperturbed, stating that every great forward goes through a bad run, and it's only a matter of time before Mbappé finds the net again. Ancelotti also stressed that the player is happy and motivated, and don't see the need for positional changes, despite some claims that he should play on the left.

Meanwhile, the club is grappling with a defensive injury crisis, with right-back options Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez unavailable. Ancelotti refrained from speculating on plans to use Federico Valverde as a replacement, simply stating it as an option.