Carlo Ancelotti values Kylian Mbappe's goals over workrate as Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund

Veteran Italian coach defends striker who has drawn criticism for his lack of pressing

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, and head coach Carlo Ancelotti embrace. EPA

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says he wants striker Kylian Mbappe to focus on scoring goals over pressing to help the team.

The Spanish and European champions have not been at their best so far this season and are still searching for the best way to incorporate the former Paris Saint-Germain star following his summer arrival.

Madrid lost on the road at Lille in their last Champions League outing and play host to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday in a repeat of last season's final, which they won 2-0 to earn a record-extending 15th European title.

“I prefer that [Mbappe] scores goals rather than he presses,” Ancelotti said on Monday. “The central striker position in our team has not changed, I ask him the same I asked of Karim [Benzema, who left in 2023].

“To be well positioned and to be ready every time we get the ball back to make a rapid transition.”

Mbappe has scored eight goals for Madrid in 12 games across all competitions this season, a record that compares poorly to Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski's 14 in 12 appearances.

The forward drew criticism in his homeland for not playing in France's recent Nations League games after recovering from a thigh injury.

One of the knock-on effects of Mbappe's arrival at Madrid is a more defensive role for Jude Bellingham, who was Los Blancos' key attacker last season.

The former Dortmund midfielder is yet to score for the club this season in nine games, after netting 10 in his first 10 appearances last year.

“We're satisfied with his work … because he works a lot on the pitch, he's always there, he competes, fights, sacrifices himself,” said Ancelotti of the England international.

“The truth is he hasn't scored the goals he did last year, but the surprise isn't this year, it's last year, he scored a heap of goals that no one expected.

“We've always scored goals and we'll always score goals, we have players with great attacking talent up front, so for us at this moment, the work he is doing is much more important for us.”

Ancelotti said Madrid's array of attacking stars – also including Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo – means the team enjoy end-to-end matches.

“I want [open games] because I have players with these characteristics,” continued the Italian manager. “We find it harder to play a game based on possession and control because we don't have players with characteristics to play in reduced spaces.

“A back and forth game suits us well, but we're focused on defending better as we did very well last year.”

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the “pain” of their first defeat in six months as motivation in Tuesday's Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Gunners suffered a shock 2-0 loss at the hands of Bournemouth on Saturday after defender William Saliba was sent off in the first half.

It meant they lost ground at the top of the Premier League and finished the weekend four points behind leaders Liverpool.

“You have a defeat, that's part of the game, it happens in very specific conditions as well,” said Arteta. “Let's move on, take that pain we still have in the tummy and use it for tomorrow night.”

Liverpool, who travel to RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, have received a boost with Virgil van Dijk admitting he is in “discussions with the right people” as the club captain moves into the final months of his contract.

The Dutchman is one of a number of high-profile players at Anfield whose deals expire at the end of the season, with uncertainty also surrounding the futures of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As it stands, the trio will be able to discuss pre-contract terms with overseas clubs from January, but Van Dijk said he is in talks over extending his stay at Anfield.

“What the future brings I have no idea at the moment … discussions are ongoing with the right people and when it's time to make a decision or whatever, I think you guys [the media] will know it as well,” he said.

“But now full commitment and focus is on Liverpool and to be successful this season. So we will see.”

Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool in 2018, turned 33 in July but remains an integral part of a defence that has kept five clean sheets in eight Premier League games so far this season.