MADRID — Coach Carlo Ancelotti is trying to keep Real Madrid focused on the task at hand despite all the talk about Kylian Mbappé.
Ancelotti said Saturday he is not thinking about the possible signing of Mbappé, and that his only concern is to get his team ready for Sunday’s match at Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish league.
Mbappé on Thursday told Paris Saint-Germain he will leave the French club at the end of the season, opening the door for a possible move by Madrid to sign the star forward.
Madrid tried signing Mbappé a couple of years ago but the player ended up staying with PSG.
“I see and hear things,” Ancelotti said. “And I understand that it is the topic of the day for you, but for us it’s tomorrow’s game. We have to play well tomorrow, that’s what I think.”
Ancelotti sidestepped questions about whether his players were talking about Mbappé in the locker room, or about whether he would like to coach the forward.
PHOTOS: Ancelotti not thinking about Mbappé just yet, says focus remains on winning this season
“We talked about the game, we saw videos of Rayo, we know that this is a vital game for us this season,” Ancelotti said. “What I would like to do is to finish this season well, to win titles. That’s what I would like. There’s a long time to go before next season.”
Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni said recently that he and his Madrid teammates did talk about France colleague Mbappé at times, saying it was an important subject.
Mbappé will be a free agent after seven years with PSG. He informed the French club last year that he would not trigger an extension to the contract he signed in 2022.
There could be a bidding war among several clubs to sign the former World Cup winner, but Madrid is widely considered to be in the front seat. Mbappé never hid his dream of one day playing for the Spanish powerhouse.
Madrid has a five-point lead over Girona in the Spanish league. It defeated Leipzig 1-0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
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