Real Madrid's Penalty Woes: Choosing between Mbappe and Vinicius Jr

Real Madrid will be back in action in La Liga as they face Real Valladolid at home on August 25th.

Carlo Ancelotti's team kicked off their title defense with a tame 1-1 draw at Mallorca last weekend as Kylian Mbappe finally made his league debut for the club.

Ancelotti opted to go with the same starting lineup from their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup final win over Atalanta, with Mbappe alongside Rodrygo Goes, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.

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All four are expected to keep their starting places in first game at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu this season but Ancelotti is finding it difficult to get the balance right.

Concerns over how Mbappe will fit into his starting plans continue with Rodrygo reportedly frustrated at being undervalued compared to the other three stars.

Alongside managing tactics and egos, Ancelotti also faces a possible flashpoint over who will step up for penalty kicks, after rotating takers last season.

Club captain Luka Modric is no longer automatic starting pick, and the Croatian missed his sole spot kick last season, with Rodrygo also missing his one penalty.

Bellingham scored his one penalty in La Liga action with Vinicius Jr netting three from three in all competitions.

If Mbappe had not joined this summer, Vinicius would be undisputed as first choice, but Mbappe's career tally stands at 42 penalties scored from 51 taken at a success rate of 82.35%.

Mbappe has the greater experience, but Vinicius has a 100% club record from the spot including converting against Barcelona and Bayern Munich last season, and it could be another incoming headache for Ancelotti.