Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Kylian Mbappe after his hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Manchester City secured their place in the Champions League last 16. Ancelotti believes Mbappe has the potential to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary goal-scoring record at the club but emphasized that hard work is needed to reach that level.
Mbappe, who netted 256 goals for PSG, downplayed individual accolades, stating that winning titles is his priority over being the Champions League’s top scorer. He expressed his desire to contribute to Real Madrid’s success rather than focus solely on personal records.
Ancelotti acknowledged the difficulty of the knockout stage but admitted their slow start to the season led to their current position. Real Madrid will face either Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid in the next round as they continue their pursuit of a record-extending 16th Champions League title.
Mbappe revealed he would prefer to face Atletico Madrid to avoid extra travel, though he expects a tough challenge regardless of the opponent.
