Carlo Ancelotti insists "it is just a matter of time" until Kylian Mbappe breaks his goal drought, with the Real Madrid forward having failed to find the net in his last four appearances.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has endured a tricky start to life with Los Blancos since making the switch as a free agent.

Despite scoring eight goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe is yet to truly catch fire at Santiago Bernabeu, where his displays have been subjected to widespread criticism.

The France forward has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04, while he was left out of Les Bleus' squad for their recent Nations League matches after going over 400 minutes without scoring.

Mbappe is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes in his final campaign with PSG, but Ancelotti is confident the tables will turn.

"It happens to all great strikers," the Italian told reporters ahead of Madrid's clash with Leganes on Sunday. "He can get frustrated, but that's not his case. I see him motivated and happy to train with his team-mates.

"Sooner or later, he will break that streak of games in which he hasn't scored goals. Tomorrow, he will have a great game because it is just a matter of time. He has incredible quality and, sooner or later, he will show it."

Ancelotti also addressed suggestions Mbappe should be switched from the central attacking position to the left wing, in place of top scorer Vinicius Junior.

"I don't think Kylian has ever asked me for a position on the pitch, everyone wants to start in the starting 11," Los Blancos' head coach added. "But Mbappe and Vinicius don't have a fixed position on the pitch. It all depends on the match."

Michel says Girona are in better physical shape ahead of their home clash against Espanyol after being handed numerous injury boosts.

Last season's surprise package, Girona, have had a mixed start to the campaign and sit 10th in the table but registered back-to-back league wins before the international break.

They have struggled with injuries to key players this season, but Viktor Tsygankov, Jhon Solis, Arnaut Danjuma, Yaser Asprilla, Ladislav Krejci, Ivan Martin, and Alejandro Frances are all available for the game.

Michel hopes that having a wider group of players available will help them to extend their winning run.

"We are better physically. Only Yangel Herrera, [Gabriel] Misehouy, Portu and Abel Ruiz are out, and the rest are in the squad" Michel told reporters. 

"Each case will be different in terms of giving us minutes, but they are ready to help us.

"Now we have replacements in each position, and it gives me peace of mind. We need everyone ready and in the next two to three weeks, we will be ready to play at 100%."

Michel said Herrera, who has scored twice and registered one assist in LaLiga this term, was not expected to return until the new year.

"He is a player who makes the difference in terms of duels, arrivals into the opponent's area and possession. He is vital, but we will not have him until 2025," he added.

Girona have 18 points after 13 games and will face an Espanyol side sitting in the relegation zone. The visitors are yet to win away this season, losing five of six games on the road, but Michel has won just one of his four LaLiga matches against Espanyol (D2 L1).

The Girona head coach said Manolo Gonzalez's team cannot be taken lightly despite their underwhelming performances in away games.

Espanyol are yet to win away this season, losing five of six games on the road.

"We faced each other in pre-season and we drew. It will be difficult since they are a very good team in transition with players like [Javi] Puado or Jofre [Carreras] with speed and depth," Michel said.

"It's always a different game. It's a derby, and it's good to play them. There is a rivalry that must be sporting and, for our people and the players, it is a different game."

Hansi Flick has urged Barcelona to find a way to win without the absent Lamine Yamal, as he misses a second consecutive match with an ankle injury.

The 17-year-old missed their 1-0 loss at Real Sociedad which halted Barca's seven-match winning streak in all competitions before the international break.

Yamal has only missed two LaLiga matches since the start of last season, while Barcelona have lost both games this campaign in which he has not started, after coming off the bench in a 4-2 loss to Osasuna in September.

Flick said that his players need to show that they can win without their teenage sensation.

"Tomorrow I will put the question to the team, it will be a very good question for them [if they can win without Yamal]," Flick told a press conference on Friday.

"Against Real Sociedad, we didn't play well, and it wasn't because of Lamine's absence. He is a very important player for us, but we have options to also play well without him.

"He won't be able to play tomorrow, we don't know when he will be able to go back from his injury, but what is clear for me is that we want him to be back only when he is 100% recovered."

Yamal played a big role in Spain's European Championship title win earlier this year in Germany, winning the best goal and the Young Player of the Tournament award in his breakthrough campaign.

He continued to thrive this season with five goals and seven assists to help Barca to the top of the LaLiga standings on 33 points, six ahead of rivals Real Madrid, who have a game in hand in second place.

Yamal is also the only player across Europe's big five leagues to complete 25+ dribbles (34), create 25+ chances (26), have 25+ shots (39), score 5+ goals (five) and provide 5+ assists (seven).

Flick suggested that he may have to adjust his system, as it is hard to replace a player with such a mixture of speed, technique and finishing.

"We might be a bit limited by the absence of Lamine," Flick said.

"But we have a lot of players with great quality, and they can play in different positions. We'll see what we'll need and we'll design the game plan.

"It's always important after the international break to come back strong and with confidence. That's our goal for tomorrow."

Diego Simeone says he is grateful to be managing his 700th game at Atletico Madrid, even as rumours swirl about his future. 

The Argentine will hit the landmark on Saturday when Atletico host Alaves in LaLiga.

Simeone is nearing 13 years in charge of Atletico having taken the job in December 2011, and the 54-year-old has since transformed the side from perennial underdogs to dangerous rivals to Spain's big two - Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The club has won two league titles, one Copa del Rey and two Europa League trophies, while they also reached the Champions League final twice - losing to city rivals Madrid on both occasions.

However, they remain a force to be reckoned with and Simeone's record of 326 clean sheets is a testament to his side's defensive prowess.

"First of all, I'd like to thank all the people who worked with me on the coaching staff and who are not with us today, all the players who made it possible for me to be at the club for so long," Simeone told reporters.

"Miguel Angel (CEO) and Enrique Cerezo (president) for supporting me on the path and trying to follow it together, and our fans for the respect they have always shown me.

"I am absolutely grateful to Atletico, I am very happy to have been able to enjoy these 700 games."

However, Atletico's start to the season has led to questions being raised in the media about his future.

Atletico are third in LaLiga, seven points behind leaders Barcelona after five draws, while they are a lowly 23rd in the Champions League halfway through the new group stage.

But Simeone has a contract until June 2027 and is not bothered by speculation, saying: "I think about Alaves, I don't focus on anything else... I think about how to resolve an important match."

Atletico went into the international break with four straight wins in all competitions, and if they win on Saturday, it will be Simeone's 300th in LaLiga. He believes the next eight games will be crucial.

"Alaves is coming, we know them. They play direct, with speed... and a lot of guys we know because they have been here [at Atletico]," Simeone said.

"We need to take the game to where we think we can hurt them. It will be important to play at a high pace and that's what we'll be looking for."

Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.

David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.

Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.

And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.

"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.

"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us. 

"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League. 

"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."

David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.

Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.

Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.

"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said. 

"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete. 

"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."

Barcelona were not going to sign Nico Williams if his registration with LaLiga could not be guaranteed, according to Blaugrana president Joan Laporta's advisor, Enric Masip.

The Spain international was a top target for Hansi Flick's side after playing a starring role during La Roja's Euro 2024 triumph.

Williams netted a fine solo goal in the 4-1 win over Georgia in the round of 16, becoming the first player on record at the Euros (since 1980) to score, assist and complete 100% of his passes (46 from 46) in a game he started.

The Athletic Bilbao forward was then named Player of the Match after finding the net in Spain's 2-1 victory over England in the final.

Williams was expected to reunite with international team-mate Lamine Yamal at Camp Nou.

It was reported he chose to remain with Bilbao after Barca were unable to guarantee his registration with LaLiga due to complying with the salary cap, but Masip - advisor to Laporta - has refuted those claims.

"If a player who is of your interest doesn't want to move, you don't have much leeway," he told El Chiringuito. "There was not much you could do.

"It's hard for me to think that if you were going to sign Nico Williams, you wouldn't be able to register him. 

"Barca weren't going to pay €50 million or €60 million for a player if they weren't going to be able to register him. So, well, it surely would have been done."

Kylian Mbappe can "follow Cristiano Ronaldo's path at Real Madrid" if he works harder, according to former France defender and World Cup winner Vincent Candela.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has endured a tricky start to life with Los Blancos since making the switch as a free agent.

Despite scoring eight goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe is yet to truly catch fire at Santiago Bernabeu, where his displays have been subjected to widespread criticism.

The France forward has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04, while he was left out of Les Bleus' squad for their recent Nations League matches after failing to find the net in his last four appearances.

Mbappe is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes in his final campaign with PSG, and was flagged offside eight times during the humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in October.

Candela, who was part of France's squad that won the 1998 World Cup, says Mbappe must up his game in the Spanish capital.

However, the 51-year-old is confident his compatriot will do that and, if he does, can potentially emulate a Madrid icon, who became the club's leading scorer and won four Champions League titles during his glittering spell.

"He has to work harder in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger player," Candela said in an interview with RB Sports, via Diario Sport.

"At Real Madrid, Mbappe is a player among others, while at PSG, he was an icon.

"I hope Mbappe can follow Cristiano Ronaldo's path at Real Madrid, but it's too early to compare them. First, he has to win the Champions League, as the Portuguese has done several times."

Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.

The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.

However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.

"Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel. 

"In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."

"[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.

"Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."

David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.

Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.

"Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring. 

"I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."

David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.

However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.

"Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said. 

"But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."

Pedri says "everything is going well" in the talks over a contract extension with Barcelona.

The youngster has played in all 13 of Barcelona's LaLiga matches this season, helping them to sit top of the pile, with 11 wins so far.

He has already proved key in their midfield, with none of his team-mates making more interceptions than him (eight, level with Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal), while he has also scored three times.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has made no secret of his desire to sign the 21-year-old to a contract extension, and Pedri issued a promising update on the talks taking place.

"I'm very calm, my agents are handling it, I haven't had any news, everything is going well," he told Sport.

Pedri has suffered from hamstring injuries since 2021, after playing 73 matches for club and country in the 2020-21 season.

He missed a total of 25 games for Barcelona and Spain last season, including the semi-final and final of Euro 2024, having been forced off in the early stages of La Roja's quarter-final win over Germany.

However, his injury troubles look to be behind him this season, and he is hopeful he can stay settled in the Barcelona side.

"Physically, I feel good. I have consistency, which makes me enjoy football," he said. "It's a great start to the season and I hope it will continue for a long time.

"Both in the national team and in Barca, I feel comfortable. It is positional football.

"It [his injury issues] was given more airtime, perhaps because I was playing in important tournaments [for Spain] and at Barcelona, I didn't have that continuity.

"I'm working out my body. When you relapse, you look for solutions until you find the key. I have found what suits me well, and I have the continuity that I like."

NBA superstar Luka Doncic has backed Kylian Mbappe to "figure it out" after his underwhelming start to life at Real Madrid.

Mbappe has scored eight goals in 16 games for Madrid in all competitions since joining as a free agent following the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

He has gone four matches without a goal – a run that includes losses to Barcelona and Milan – and has been left out of France's latest squad.

However, Dallas Mavericks guard Doncic – a Real Madrid supporter due to his previous ties with the sports club – can see Mbappe turning things around.

"Obviously [their season] could be better," Doncic told Managing Madrid after the Mavericks' win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. 

"But when you get a guy like Mbappe, it takes some time to get used to it. We'll figure it out."

Mbappe has scored six goals in 11 LaLiga appearances for Madrid but has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04.

The forward is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes for PSG in his last of seven seasons in Paris.

Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 last time out in the league to return to winning ways but still trail leaders Barcelona by six points.

Asked about his connections with Madrid, former Los Blancos basketball player Doncic said: "I follow Real Madrid every time.

"I grew up there. They taught me everything, so it's a part of my life. You can call it a secondary home. 

"I learned a lot of stuff there and, especially, they gave me a way to be here right now [in Dallas]. I always appreciate that 100%."

Madrid return to action after the international break with a trip to Leganes on Sunday.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that a striker is “not a priority” for the club despite recent links to Erling Haaland and Viktor Gyokeres.

Deco affirmed the club’s faith in current number nine Robert Lewandowski, who is in form with 14 goals and two assists after 13 games in LaLiga this season.

Gyokeres, by comparison, has 16 goals and one assist in the Primeira Liga while, despite a dip in form, Erling Haaland has 12 goals in the Premier League this season.

Barcelona, however, are “happy” with Lewandowski and hope he will lead the line in the Catalonian capital for another season at least.

"First we have to know whether Haaland is what we want for the future. We don't know that now,” Deco told El Mundo Deportivo.

"At the moment we don't want any 'nine.' We have Robert. We are not planning anything with any 'nine.' It's not a priority because we have to focus on this season."

Lewandowski leads the Barcelona squad for shots (38) and shots on target (26) in the league, indicating the 36-year-old is still maintaining pace at the top level.

He leads the league for goals with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior coming closest to matching his tally, trailing by six goals.

"I think it's very difficult to find a striker like Robert nowadays. There are one or two of this level. Maybe Haaland or another one. There are not so many of this level available,” explained Deco.

"But we are not going to get hung up on finding any striker now because we are going to focus first on what Robert can do. I surely think he is happy to be here. He is a winner and if we have a big season I think he will want to stay.

"We want Robert to continue to be happy, to score goals and to stay at least one more season."

While the Pole is without a goal in two games, Barcelona’s rumoured target Gyokeres has not faltered.

The Swede caught global attention in Sporting CP’s recent Champions League clash with Manchester City, producing a hat-trick to help his team to a shock 4-1 win.

He accumulated an expected goals (xG) total of 2.41 in the match, accounting for most of Sporting's overall 2.87xG.

"Gyokeres is a good player. He has been scoring goals for some time in Portugal. We know him as we know others, but it's not a priority for us right now,” said Deco.

"When the time comes to make a decision and I have to make it because I am the one at the club, we will consider the options. But I don't think it's the right time to talk about any player."

Al-Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte says he would listen to a call from Real Madrid if the club approached him over a transfer.

The LaLiga champions currently only have one fit centre-back after Eder Militao suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that requires surgery against Osasuna last weekend.

David Alaba is still recovering from a knee operation last December, while they are also light at right-back, with Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez also sidelined.

Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Laporte, who moved to the Saudi Pro League from Manchester City in August 2023 and has made nine appearances in the competition so far this season.

The defender won five Premier League titles while in England, as well as two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League, while he was also part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2024 in July.

When asked how he would feel about a potential move to Madrid, he told El Larguero: "I've read the same things as everybody else. I would listen to the call. Obviously, you don’t look down on teams like Real Madrid.

"I've said it many times, my idea is to return to Europe. I went there [to Saudi Arabia] to play football, not to do other things.

"So far it hasn't been bad for me as while I've been there. I've won a European Championship, which is the most beautiful thing that has happened in my career."

Meanwhile, Tottenham full-back Pedro Porro has also seen his name linked with Los Blancos amid their recent injury problems.

He has played all but three minutes in the Premier League this season and has made the second-most interceptions (15) and tackles (25), while nobody in the squad has made more blocks (five).

His tally of 76 crosses is also a team-high, and he says his main focus is on the job in front of him.

"That one of the best clubs in the world notices me means that I'm doing my job well at my club," he said. "But it's not just my name that is being linked, there are others.

"My friends send me those rumours, but I'm focused on my job, and I cannot be distracted by that."

Barcelona sporting director Deco is hopeful that Pedri will sign a new long-term contract with the club in the near future, with the midfielder's current deal expiring in 2026.

The 21-year-old has been a mainstay of Barcelona's team this season, starting 11 of their 13 matches in LaLiga and all four Champions League games, after a difficult campaign last year.

Pedri missed a total of 25 games for club and country with injury problems last term, including the semi-final and final of Euro 2024, having been forced off after eight minutes during Spain's quarter-final victory over hosts Germany.

His fitness has been a big question for a number of years, having suffered from hamstring injuries since 2021, following the 2020-21 season in which he played 73 matches for club and country.

But with injury problems having dissipated, Deco is excited at the prospect of having him in the team long-term.

”To go for a renewal the first thing you have to know is what the players are looking for, and I think they are looking to win titles, be in a competitive team and, of course, have good contracts," he told Mundo Deportivo.

"I thought that way and I think we have players who also think that way. I think Pedri’s renewal will happen because I think Pedri wants to make history at the club."

Pedri has been at Barcelona since joining from Las Palmas as a 17-year-old in 2020. Deco is confident that it feels like home for him now.

"He feels comfortable here, he is happy, he wants to win titles, he is back at his best after working hard, understanding that there was work behind him that he had to do after so many years of suffering a lot with many games and injuries," he said.

"He has understood it and has seen that he had to work in a different way, improve, and he was on time. We will do the renewal. He has this season and another one left.

"We are focused on winning important things this season, but also on guaranteeing the future of important players and Pedri is one of them.”

Real Madrid have announced that Rodrygo and Lucas Vazquez are both set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining muscle injuries in the first half against Osasuna.

Rodrygo was taken off after just 20 minutes, while Vazquez lasted until half-time before making way.

The Brazilian has seen a more limited role for Madrid this season, playing just 667 minutes in LaLiga so far, but has netted three goals and registered one assist in that time. He is reportedly set to be out for five to six weeks.

He has also played the third-most crosses of any Los Blancos player in the Spanish top-flight (22), while he has attempted (32) and completed (14) the third-most dribbles in the squad so far this term.

Vazquez's absence will reportedly be about a month, giving Carlo Ancelotti a headache at right-back, with Dani Carvajal already out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

This news comes after Madrid confirmed on Saturday that Eder Militao required surgery on an ACL tear he suffered in the first half of the same game.

Spain will be without star winger Lamine Yamal for their upcoming Nations League games against Denmark and Switzerland.

Yamal starred for La Roja at Euro 2024 and has been exceptional for Barcelona so far this season.

The teenager has already provided a LaLiga-leading seven assists this term, while his 12 goal contributions rank joint-third in Spain's top tier, behind club-mates Robert Lewandowski (16) and Raphinha (13).

Yamal has also attempted (84) and completed (34) more dribbles than any other player in LaLiga in 2024-25, while Barca's two league defeats have come in matches in which the attacker did not start; a 4-2 loss at Osasuna in September, and a 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Indeed, injured Yamal was left out of Hansi Flick's squad against La Real, and Spain have now called up Bryan Gil in his place, and Barcelona confirmed on Monday that the 17-year-old has suffered a grade one high ankle sprain, and will be out of action for up to three weeks.

Luis de la Fuente's team are top of their Nations League group, with 10 points from their four matches.

La Roja face Denmark on Friday before hosting Switzerland on November 18. 

Should Spain collect one more win from their final two matches of 2024, then they will set a new national record for the number of victories in all competitions in a single calendar year. surpassing the 10 they managed in 2009.

Barca also confirmed that Lewandowski will need 10 days out of action after suffering a back injury, meaning he will sit out Poland's matches against Portugal and Scotland.