Federico Valverde's strike helped Real Madrid pick up a late win after Carlo Ancelotti had threatened the Uruguayan if he didn't find the net regularly.
The midfielder scored with ten minutes remaining against RB Leipzig at the Bernabeu before Marco Asensio notched in stoppage time to round off a 2-0 win. Valverde is yet to score more than three times in a single season - something he has done on three occasions.
Already though he has notched three times in the current campaign having played just eight times. Ancelotti is determined to get the midfielder scoring with more regularity and conceded he should give up coaching if he couldn't help the player achieve that goal.
The Italian said: “I told Valverde that if he didn’t score at least 10 goals this season, I will tear up my coaching license and leave.” Ancelotti's managerial CV leaves little room for questioning, but the former Chelsea boss clearly wants more from his player.
He added on Valverde's lack of goals: "What was strange last year was that he only scored one goal, in the Super Cup I think. Tonight he took the shot with his left foot. I’ve never seen him shoot like that with his left, so it shows he’s confident in his abilities, and he has a lot of abilities.
"He’s more than just energy. But, to say he’s best in the world in his position, we might have to wait a little longer.”
Valverde has proved a key asset due to his versatility and it was he who provided the assist for Vinicius Jnr to score the winner in last season's Champions League final. Los Blancos, who are the only team in the reformed era of Europe's top competition to retain their crown.
They are now trying to do likewise as they continue their impressive start to the campaign. Their display against the German side was anything but vintage, yet Ancelotti simply wants his side to get the job done at present.
He said: “It wasn’t a fantastic match. We wanted to avoid their counters, which is their main strength, so we didn’t have too high a line or press too much in the first half. So, it wasn’t fantastic, but I can’t ask the players to play fantastic football at this stage in the season. I ask them to play intelligently."
Madrid have won their opening two games in the group and will face Shakhtar Donetsk in the upcoming double headers.
