Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to remain loyal to the players who won last season’s Champions League when he names his lineup for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup.
Madrid will face Europa League winners Atalanta as they contest the European curtain-raiser for the sixth time in the space of 11 years, seeking to become the competition’s all-time most successful club – together with Barcelona, it is currently a joint record five wins.
But while the game in Warsaw should see Kylian Mbappe make his eagerly anticipated debut, it may not be as a starter. Fellow summer arrival Endrick is also tipped to begin on the bench.
AS reports that nine of the 11 players who started June’s Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund are expected to keep their places. Nacho Fernandez and Toni Kroos have each left the club since then, with Eder Miliato set to come in for the former in defence and Luka Modric getting the nod in midfield. It is a strategy that Ancelotti has used for the Super Cup in 2014 and 2022.
That suggests the 2024 Super Cup starting XI will be: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Militao, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Modric; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius.
It means Mbappe will have to be patient to get on the pitch in a Madrid shirt for the first time.
The Frenchman, who scored a club record 256 goals in 308 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain over just seven seasons, completed his long-awaited move to the Bernabeu last month.
In partnership with Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham, he is expected to take Madrid to an even higher level, having already completed a rare La Liga and Champions League double last season.
“Everyone is hoping we can do great things this season,” Vinicius said recently.
“We have to take care of [Mbappe] and we are doing everything so that he can adapt as quickly as possible because it’s always very complicated to come to another club.
“But we’ve already done that with Jude, who came last season and shone, so hopefully we can spend a lot more with Kylian. Endrick as well is coming in now, he is very young but already has it in his head that he can help us when we need him.”
