Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed Kylian Mbappe to replicate club legend Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers and level. Mbappe is well known to idolize the Portuguese striker and has shown the skills to be a modern great. Ronaldo won a total of four Champions League titles with the La Liga giants.

After struggling to hit the ground running at Los Blancos, the Frenchman has found his Midas touch. The forward scored a hat-trick for the 15-time Champions League winners in the second leg of the playoff round against Manchester City on Wednesday.

Mbappe has scored seven goals and has also provided an assist in 10 matches of the ongoing Champions League. 

On the other hand, Ronaldo is Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 451 goals in 438 games.

“He has the quality to reach his numbers, but he has to work, because Cristiano set the bar very high, but he is so excited to play here, he can reach Cristiano’s level,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

“Everyone was waiting for this hat trick from him and it has finally arrived. But Mbappé is not the only one, we have many players who make a difference. And they make a difference with their collective work above their individual quality which is remarkable.”

Mbappe, on the other hand, said the personal milestone doesn’t hold value for him if his team doesn’t go on to win a title.

“I was the Champions League’s top scorer last year, but did I win it? No,” Mbappe told reporters.

“I don’t care about being the leading scorer, in my career, I have scored many goals. If with these goals we win titles I will sign with my blood. If I can score 50, all the better, but all I want is to win titles,” he added.

The UCL champions will either face Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atlético Madrid in the next round.