Real Madrid travel to the Basque country for the next league game as they take to the field at San Mames against Athletic Club on Wednesday night on Matchday 19.
Ernesto Valverde’s side are one of La Liga’s most in-form teams and have been on a stunning run in recent weeks.
The Basque giants are currently placed fourth on the standings, only behind Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and currently stand on 26 points after 15 games.
Furthermore, they are on a nine-game unbeaten streak heading into the clash against Carlo Ancelotti’s side and will pose a big threat to Los Blancos at San Mames.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Athletic Club vs Real Madrid.
Mbappe must up his mental game
With Vinicius Jr. out, the spotlight is on Kylian Mbappe in Real Madrid’s attack and the player is yet to flourish in his opportunity on the left wing.
Playing in his natural position for the first time since arriving at the club, the Frenchman was abysmal against Liverpool where he even missed a penalty for Los Blancos.
He found the back of the net against Getafe last weekend but showed many signs of being far from his best both in a sporting and psychological sense.
For starters, Mbappe took a back seat and delegated the responsibility of taking Real Madrid’s first penalty to Jude Bellingham on the night. While it was a selfless action, it spoke volumes about his lack of confidence.
Mbappe is feeling the pressure at the Spanish capital, and the penalty won in the second half clarified that once more.
Having found the back of the net in the 38th minute and the team’s 2-0 up, Mbappe once again attempted to step away from the spot-kick and tried to delegate it to Rodrygo Goes.
While the penalty was eventually ruled out, it hints that Mbappe requires help and support to get through his mental rut. After all, he missed three big chances against Getafe, completed just two of his seven dribbles and completed just 30 passes on the night.
Playing away at San Mames tomorrow, the pressure will be on Mbappe once again and it remains to be seen if he can overcome his lack of confidence.
Where should Tchouameni play?
In midfield or defence? (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
The biggest talking point ahead of Wednesday’s clash is that Aurelien Tchouameni is back in the squad and Carlo Ancelotti can be relieved over the sudden boost in squad depth.
After all, the Frenchman is not only a vital cog in the team’s midfield but also the manager’s first-choice backup in central defence, a department where the team has been relatively exposed this season.
With the French maestro back, Ancelotti faces a rather pleasant question but one that is also equally complicated to answer. Where should Tchouameni play?
After Eder Militao’s injury, Real Madrid’s direct plan, after all, was to place Tchouameni in defence alongside Antonio Rudiger. It was only the Frenchman’s injury that opened the door for Raul Asencio and the youngster has not put a foot wrong so far.
The coach could be tempted to replace the academy star with a more established player in the lineup if his history of preferring big names is anything to go by. However, there is no real need to break a partnership that is going strong.
Ancelotti’s second option will be to deploy Tchouameni in the defensive midfield, but with Rodrygo back and the formation likely to revert to a 4-3-3, who can the pivot player replace just when the team is finding its footing?
Will Ceballos earn another start?
The question of where to field Tchouameni directly brings a counter-question and has implications for the role of Dani Ceballos.
If Asencio has been a revelation in defence for Real Madrid amid the crisis, Ceballos has done the same in the middle of the park in recent games.
The Spanish international anchored Real Madrid’s buildup against Getafe in the team’s most recent game while also providing a creative outlet in the process and word has it that he has ascended over Luka Modric in the manager’s books.
In fact, he racked up 110 passes with a staggering 94% accuracy, one key pass and six accurate long balls against Getafe. He was also on point defensively as he recorded seven duels won and three tackles.
Given that Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde are guaranteed starters for the Merengues, the question thus arises whether or not Ceballos will earn another start tomorrow against Athletic Club.
If Tchouameni is to come into midfield, the Spaniard is the most likely option Ancelotti will opt to bench. However, the Frenchman does not provide nearly as much control on the proceedings that Ceballos does and the manoeuvre may well back-fire.
The coach thus has a big decision to take over Ceballos, who in theory, deserves a third consecutive league start.