The departure of Karim Benzema in the last summer transfer window left a large hole in the Real Madrid attack, as the Frenchman not only served as the focal point in the forward line but also played a crucial role in the team’s build-up phases.
Replacing a player of his stature was almost impossible, but the way Carlo Ancelotti has used Jude Bellingham this season has allowed the Merengues not to miss their former prolific forward too much and he deserves all the credit for this successful adjustment.
The Italian once again faces a similar situation, as he will have to come up with a lineup that can maximize the performances of another potential arrival, Kylian Mbappe. For this purpose, the Italian will have to change the role of another superstar, Vinicius Junior, in the team.
As MARCA has noted, the Italian was quite confident of Vinicius’ ability to play away from his favored position on the left wing. In this regard, the Italian commented:
“I think Vini can play inside. Not as a center forward, but in a forward pair. I have to consider that he prefers playing on the outside, he’s very comfortable there.”
“He has improved a lot and moves inside the field for the off-ball movement. It has benefited him many times. I want to put him where he feels most comfortable, which is on the left flank.”
While Ancelotti was clear that he will play Vinicius in his favorite position, these comments might have been meant to also prepare him for a move more to the center of the attack.
The Brazilian has adapted well to any change to his role in the team and has already shown this season that he can thrive while playing closer to the goal.
There is still a lot of uncertainty on whether Mbappe will actually come to Real Madrid and if does come, what role he will have in the team.
But what is certain for now is that Real Madrid have one of the best-suited tacticians in Carlo Ancelotti to deal with such a problem, and the fans can rest assured that the Italian will be able to bring the best out of all his star players.
