Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti heaped praise on his striker Kylian Mbappe after he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday that took the Champions League holders into the last 16.
Ancelotti said Mbappe had the potential to reach the same level as club great Cristiano Ronaldo, who is Real’s all-time leading scorer with 451 goals in 438 games for the 15-times Champions League winners.
“He has the quality to reach his numbers, but he has to work, because Cristiano set the bar very high, but he is so excited to play here, he can reach Cristiano’s level,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
“Everyone was waiting for this hat-trick from him and it has finally arrived. But Mbappe is not the only one, we have many players who make a difference. And they make a difference with their collective work above their individual quality which is remarkable.”
Mbappe, who scored 256 goals in 308 appearances over six years at Paris St Germain, said he did not care about being the top scorer if it did not lead to silverware.
“I was the Champions League’s top scorer last year, but did I win it? No,” Mbappe told reporters.
“I don’t care about being the leading scorer, in my career, I have scored many goals. If with these goals we win titles I will sign with my blood. If I can score 50, all the better, but all I want is to win titles,” he added.
NEXT OPPONENTS: Ancelotti lamented that his side had to go through the pain of the knockout round but said that they were to blame after a slow start to the campaign that caused them to finish outside the top eight in the league standings
The holders will face Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid, depending on Friday’s draw, as they seek a record-extending 16th title.
“It’s not positive at all having to go through the knock-out because we had to play 10 games to get to the last 16,” Ancelotti said.
“We’re not coming out of a difficult period, we’re entering one because this is when the real season starts. There is no way to stop, to rest. But on an emotional level, sure, this tie has been good for us. Let’s keep rolling.”
Mbappe said he would prefer to play local rivals Atletico in the next round.
“For me it is better to play against Atletico because we don’t have to travel, because we travel a lot. They would be two very difficult games but one without traveling.”
Nothing lasts forever, says Guardiola: Pep Guardiola conceded Manchester City need a rebuild after being swept aside by a Mbappe hat-trick. It is the third time in four seasons that City have been knocked out by the Spanish giants, but the first time since Guardiola joined in 2016 that the English champions have failed to reach the last 16.
“The better team won,” Guardiola told Spanish TV station Movistar.
“We have had a bad year in the competition. If you finish 22nd, it is because we haven’t been right. It has been our worst year.”
Injuries have played a significant part in City’s struggles this season.
Erling Haaland did not get off the bench at the Santiago Bernabeu due to a knee injury while John Stones had to be replaced inside the first 10 minutes.
City’s consolation goal came thanks to two of their January signings as Nico Gonzalez tapped in after Omar Marmoush’s free-kick came back off the crossbar.
Guardiola said the rebuild had already begun as City spent £170 million ($214 million) on bringing Marmoush, Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis to the club during the mid-season transfer window.
“It is normal. Nothing lasts forever and in the group there are players that have marked an era,” added Guardiola.
“We cannot deny what this group of players have done, winning six Premier Leagues in seven years given what that competition is.
“In Europe always getting to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, final. It says a lot about what we have done.”
Real have gone on to win the competition each time they have beaten City in the past four years and Guardiola believes this version of Carlo Ancelotti’s men is the best he has faced.
“This year we faced the best Madrid. In the previous ones, going through or not, we were very good,” he said.
“They are better because they are able to have the ball for long spells, can run, can defend well with a high line when they want, but also defend well with men behind the ball. You have to congratulate them.”
Agencies
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