With Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr vying for the Ballon d’Or, every goal counts, especially penalties.
Last time out against Las Palmas in a 1-1 draw, Real Madrid got their first penalty of the season, and Vinicius duly put it away.
The Brazilian has been first choice since Karim Benzema’s departure last summer, something Carlo Ancelotti was strict about.
In a match against Celta Vigo, the players decided to give Rodrygo a chance to end a poor run of form with ‘Vini’ off the pitch, and he missed.
Ancelotti was fuming, reaffirming that Luka Modric was second, but his rules aren’t so set in stone this time around.
“One of them [Mbappe or Vinicius] has to take it,” Ancelotti said about this season’s first-choice penalty taker.
“It’s not because I think it’s right to give the responsibility to both of them. It’s because they have the same quality to take the penalty and I don’t want to choose.
“Also because in a game many things happen and one can have scored a goal and the other needs to do it. I have total confidence in both of them as takers. I don’t see the problem.”
That’s all good for now, but with both competing to be considered the best player in the world, trouble could soon start brewing for Ancelotti and his key men.
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