Real Madrid mailbag: Your questions answered before new La Liga ...

The new La Liga season is yet to begin, but Real Madrid have already won their first trophy: a sixth UEFA Super Cup after Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta.

It was a celebratory night as Kylian Mbappe marked his first Madrid appearance with a goal, adding to Federico Valverde’s tap-in. Next up for Madrid is their La Liga opener as they look to defend last season’s league title: on Sunday, they travel to Mallorca, the beaten Copa del Rey finalists last term.

Earlier this week, we asked you to send in questions for our Real Madrid correspondent Mario Cortegana on the coming campaign — and here are his answers to a selection. Sorry if your questions weren’t included — there were just too many. (We’ll get you next time.)

Is there a plan in place for when Florentino Perez retires as president? I understand that Madrid are a socio-owned club, but am still curious if there is anxiety about losing the man with so much centralised power — Gonzalo C.

There have been several comments about this for some time — as well as some reports in the media considering who might replace him.

I remember talking about it with the president (who is 77 and returned for a second term in charge in 2009) at the last Christmas lunch with the press. He said: “Who tells you I’m not going to stand in the next elections in 2025?”

So I think at the moment it’s too early to talk about his successor.

Is Endrick going to be loaned out as there is almost no chance of him making the starting XI with Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr — Julian M.

It has never been an option. Neither the club nor the player wanted it. Both the board and Carlo Ancelotti are in favour of instilling patience in the youngsters, giving them examples of the years it has taken for other great prospects (such as Valverde and Vinicius Junior) to settle.

They also believe that training at Valdebebas — with the best facilities, specialists and team-mates in the world — can be more beneficial than a loan spell.

This is also influenced by the fact that in the past there have been cases of loans that did not work out at all (for example, Takefusa Kubo to Villarreal and Getafe, Reinier Jesus to Borussia Dortmund).

In addition, with this season potentially seeing more than 70 games for Madrid, many players will be needed.

What formation do you see Ancelotti deploying with the world-class talent he has at forward? I would love to see a 4-2-3-1 or a variation of 4-3-3 with Bellingham furthest forward — Marcus G.

In Warsaw, we saw Ancelotti’s plan for the first time — it was the same one we mentioned back in July.

This is a 4-3-3 with the ball and a 4-4-2 without. I agree with you in liking a 4-2-3-1, because I understand that the pieces would fit better, especially having the playmaker position (ideal for Bellingham, Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz, or even Rodrygo…).

Any insight into plans for right-back and left-back? I feel like those have been our shallowest/weakest areas for a few years now — Cristobal G.

Ferland Mendy is close to renewing his contract, so the plan is to continue with the Frenchman and Fran Garcia.

Everyone at the club sees that Garcia’s performances are not as good as they would like, but if Bayern Munich don’t put Alphonso Davies up for sale, the board would prefer to wait and try to bring him in as a free agent in 2025. Another option would be Miguel Gutierrez, who would cost Real Madrid only €8million (thanks to the terms of his 2022 sale to Girona) — but that is not the plan.

It’s similar on the right side — Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez continue to offer guarantees. There are several interesting profiles for the future (Achraf Hakimi, if he does not renew with Paris Saint-Germain; academy players such as Alex Jimenez, who has just gone to AC Milan…) and I can see that reinforcement in both positions would be important, but not vital. In the centre of defence, however, I do think it is necessary now.

If Ancelotti does not extend his deal beyond 2026, who is the preferred successor to take over as manager? — Mario P.

The easiest thing to say would be Xabi Alonso, because they like him a lot — but it’s still too soon. In football, things change in a matter of months, but I think Ancelotti has a long way to go.

How long of an adjustment period will Mbappe need given that he has spent his entire career so far playing in Ligue 1, which is arguably at a lower level of competition? Or do you think he’ll hit the ground running, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Jude Bellingham? — Vuyo M.

In your question is the answer: he is such a superior player, with so many qualities that even without showing his best version he will score in almost every game until he finally settles in.

What does the future of Rodrygo look like? How does Camavinga project into the 2025 XI? — Landon E.

On Rodrygo, there have been contacts this year with Manchester City because Pep Guardiola is an admirer, but his entourage insists that he wants to stay and that’s all he thinks about.

Also, the Madrid board is not expecting an offer from City. People who know him very well tell me that he will stay at least one more season at the Bernabeu. After that, he will review his situation because he wants to feel important.

About Eduardo Camavinga, he didn’t start the season as a starter, but I’m sure with such a long campaign ahead (and despite his early injury) he will be starting in many games, and he could even end up taking a place in the XI.

How do Real Madrid feel about the fact that so many of their players aren’t Spanish? In the past, they made concerted efforts to compete with Barcelona and bring in Spanish players. Have they given up? — Gonzalo C.

Many of them have not worked for one reason or another. It’s not something that I notice Real Madrid are very concerned about, other than having the number required by UEFA under control.

Can we beat Barca to the title? — David A.

Of course. Madrid have a better line-up, a better bench, a better coach and a better organisation in the whole club, which results in a more efficient and better organisation.

(Top photo: Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

Mario Cortegana Santos is a Football Writer for The Athletic covering Real Madrid. He has followed Los Blancos since 2019 at Diario AS, Goal.com and MARCA. He usually appears on Gol TV and is a main collaborator in the YouTube show The Four Amigos Podcast. He has covered the EURO 2020 and Qatar 2022. Follow Mario on Twitter @MarioCortegana