Refusing to be drawn on whether the club might yet lure Kylian Mbappe from PSG, Carlo Ancelotti insisted Friday Real Madrid have plenty of young talent coming through.With French World Cup winner Mbappe out of contract next year, Real are widely believed to be ready to pounce should the striker decide partnering both Lionel Messi and Neymar in attack is not a sufficient challenge. But Ancelotti preferred to bask in what he says is a hugely exciting crop of up-and-coming players as he embarks on his second spell in charge at the Bernabeu after leaving Everton.Real Madrid haven’t given up on Mbappe, but PSG president is pressuring the forward to sign onWhen asked about the possibility of Mbappe arriving to Santiago Bernabeu, the former Bayern and Milan boss chose to speak about the players he’s already got at his disposal.”I’m sorry, I can’t speak about this. I don’t like talking about players who aren’t here. But I like our squad very much already. There’s a good mix of veterans and youngsters who are really up for it, very enthusiastic and very interesting. There’s Miguel Gutierrez, Sergio Arribas, Victor Chust, Marvin… They can all be very important in the future but in the present too.”Saturday, 22.00: (1.25) PSG (6.50) Strasbourg (10.0)One of the players who could benefit from Ancelotti’s appointment is Gareth Bale. He has done well under the Italian’s guidance in his debut season in Madrid. Now he has returned to Spain after a season loan back at Tottenham but Ancelotti said there was no reason why he could not rediscover his form of their first spell together.”He is a great player who maybe didn’t do so well recently but I rate him very highly and he has been training well. The pitch will be the judge, though, not the coach.”🎙| Ancelotti: “I see Hazard in good condition. I am sure that he will return to his best version” pic.twitter.com/fysRTSxN3R— Hazard Xtra. (@HazardXtra) August 13, 2021 Returning to his young emerging stars Ancelotti said he was in regular touch with former striker Raul, now coach of Real’s reserve team La Castilla.”The youngsters will be ready — they are ready. We shall need them.”Messi is gone, but football is still here! How will La Liga look now that superstars have fled Spain?But he said he was also pleased to see experienced faces raring to go, singling out Croatia veteran playmaker Luka Modric, as well as French striker Karim Benzema.Coming in after Zinedine Zidane — his former assistant in his first spell — stepped down Ancelotti dwelt briefly on the transfer from Barcelona of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint Germain, where the Italian also spent two years in charge but failed to land the European glory that is now PSG’s clearly stated target.”That surprised me, of course. Messi had played for Barcelona since he was a child. Barca are still Barca, one of the best teams in the world, with or without Messi. For us it changes nothing — what we have to do is win.”LA LIGA – Round 1Friday22.00: (2.80) Valencia (2.85) Getafe (2.90)Saturday20.30: (3.15) Mallorca (3.30) Betis (2.30)20.30: (2.75) Cadiz (3.05) Levante (2.75)23.00: (2.40) Osasuna (3.10) Espanyol (3.20)23.00: (6.50) Alaves (4.30) Real Madrid (1.50)Sunday18.30: (3.90) Celta (3.40) Atl.Madrid (2.00)21.00: (1.80) Barcelona (3.60) Sociedad (4.60)23.15: (1.50) Sevilla (4.10) Rayo Vallecano (7.00)Monday21.00: (1.57) Villareal (3.90) Granada (6.25)23.00: (3.80) Elche (3.10) Ath.Bilbao (2.15)***odds are subject to change
