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Real Madrid C.F. v AC Milan - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4Getty Images Sport
Scott Wilson

'Kylian Mbappe will never be a No.9!' - Carlo Ancelotti told to stop being held 'prisoner' by Real Madrid striker & drop him to bench after miserable Champions League display vs AC Milan

K. Mbappe
Real Madrid
Real Madrid vs AC Milan
Champions League
C. Ancelotti
LaLiga

Kylian Mbappe's struggles continued in Real Madrid's 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, leading to calls for Carlo Ancelotti to drop the forward.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Mbappe fires blank against AC Milan
  • Forward hasn't scored in three games
  • Real Madrid stunned at the Bernabeu
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Mbappe's goalless run extended to three games - with one goal in his past six matches in all competitions - as Real Madrid were comfortably beaten by AC Milan in the Champions League. The 25-year-old was threatening, recording eight shots, but couldn't beat Mike Maignan and also lost possession eight times. The defeat comes after Mbappe's disappointing display in the 4-0 Clasico defeat to Barcelona.

  • Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 2024-25Getty

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema recently shared his thoughts on Mbappe playing as a central No.9 for the club, asserting that his compatriot's best position is on the left - though he won't displace Vinicius Junior from that role. Those thoughts have been echoed by RMC journalist Daniel Riolo, who believes Carlo Ancelotti is being held "prisoner" by the former Paris Saint-Germain player. In Riolo's opinion, the solution is simple: if he doesn't play on the left, Mbappe should be on the bench.

  • WHAT RIOLO SAID

    "You play without a centre-forward because - it was the case last year, it is the case in the French team and it will be the case at Real, I have been killing myself saying it for months - Mbappe is not and will never be a number 9," Riolo said on After Foot. "Just like everyone else is a prisoner of this thing, Ancelotti is in the same prison.

    "I'm going to repeat a sentence that I've repeated 150 times: Mbappe, either it's on the left, or it's on the bench. And on the left, there's better than him at the moment since Vinicius has the privilege of seniority and performances, so it's going to go to the bench because it can't be otherwise.

    "He's not a 9, there's one on the bench (Rodrygo) and he's going to have to be played. Can Ancelotti take responsibility for such a decision? Real are a big club and capable of taking responsibility for such a decision but they can't continue like this, it's obvious."

    Riolo continued by saying Real Madrid's current cycle could be over if they're unable to find a resolution to the issue.

    "If they don't manage to do it by putting Rodrygo in, taking Mbappe out to find a team built in a similar way to last year, it will mean that we are at the end of a cycle," he added. "Which wouldn't be too serious because it happens in the history of clubs.

    "When you are full of victories, when you have won so many Champions Leagues, all these players have had so much success, it happens to be supplanted by others who have the right to work well. It wouldn't be bad to see Barca or Liverpool better. But before arriving at this conclusion, Ancelotti will have to ask himself: what am I doing? Because he is doing things that are not normal at the moment."

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  • Real Madrid C.F. v AC Milan - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4Getty Images Sport

    WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

    Ancelotti certainly has some thinking to do after watching his side ship seven goals in their past two matches. He'll hope to put things right ahead of Saturday's game at home to Osasuna in La Liga.

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01 Nov 2026

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