Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed confidence that his tactical adjustment to Kylian Mbappe's attacking role paid off as the French star ended his goal drought in Sunday’s commanding 3-0 victory over Leganes.
The 25-year-old netted his seventh goal of the season, silencing critics who had questioned his fit as a center-forward since joining the La Liga champions.
Ancelotti revealed that a straightforward positional swap with Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. made all the difference, helping Mbappe rediscover his scoring touch.
"Mbappe played on the left side, where he did well, and Vinicius on the inside. We have to highlight their play to open the scoring. They did very, very well. Mbappe scored after a fantastic assist from Vinicius. Little by little, they're both improving," Ancelotti told reporters.
"Kylian is more used to playing there, and today, for the team and for him, it was the best thing. Playing on the outside requires more effort, and Vinicius was back on Thursday. Meanwhile, Kylian had been training here for a week and a half; he was fresher," the coach added.
Mbappe was not called up for France during the international break, despite being team captain, while Vinicius played in Brazil's two matches in the South American World Cup qualifiers earlier this month.
With an injury crisis at the back and a trip to Anfield to face Premier League and Champions League leaders Liverpool on the horizon, Ancelotti said he was hopeful that Lucas Vazquez, who has a hamstring strain, and Aurelien Tchouameni, who is recovering from a sprained left ankle, will return to action.
He was also upbeat about the contribution of Uruguayan Federico Valverde, who scored from a free kick while playing in a different position.
"The truth is that Fede, at the back, has done very well. He's a fantastic fullback. After Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, he's the best right back in the world. His problem is that he can play at this level in many positions, and it’s the coach's problem to choose the best position for the team."
"Let's see if Lucas and Tchouameni can recover. If not, we will make decisions," the manager said.