This Saturday, real Madrid can be consecrated as Spanish LaLiga champion with four days left. If Merengue beats Cadiz (at 11:15) and if Barcelona does not do the same on his visit to Girona (from 1:30 p.m.), those led by the Italian Carlo Ancelotti They will take the Olympic lap and celebrate at the Cibeles fountain. But beyond that glory that will come sooner rather than later, at Real there is a concern that becomes more powerful in the face of the second leg duel next Wednesday the 8th for the semi-final of the Champions League in view of Bayern Munich: What happens to Jude Bellingham?
In June 2023, Bellingham moved from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid in exchange for a little more 100 million euros. He did not find it difficult to adapt to Madrid and scored 10 goals in the first 10 games. Rápido became the owner of the team playing as a hook, behind the Brazilians Rodrygo and Vinicius. The 20-year-old English numbers in that semester of 2023 were impressive: 17 goals in 21 games.
It was then that Bellingham was showered with praise from around the world and the awards piled up. He won the FIFA Golden Boy that accredited him as the best U-21 player of the year: he garnered 485 of the 500 votes, a historical record. Months later, He raised the Laureus to the revelation athlete of 2023beating the British athlete Josh Kerr, the Colombian soccer player Linda Caicedo, the American tennis player Coco Gauff, the Spanish soccer player Salma Paralluelo and the Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang, among other candidates.
But everything changed for Bellingham in 2024 and in Madrid they wonder what’s wrong. In the first leg in Germany, the midfielder did not have a great performance and he was replaced 29 minutes into the second half by Luka Modric. “Jude is going to recover his best version. He had an injury that affected him. He will return very soon and by Wednesday he will be one hundred percent”noted Carlo Ancelotti.
Bellingham’s performance in 2024 is irregular: he scored 4 goals in 16 games. “In recent months my role in the team has changed,” acknowledged the Englishman. And he continued: “It makes me anxious if I don’t score and the team doesn’t win. Anyway, I do more things than score goals, but I think I can do more. I want to continue taking responsibility. “When I arrived I didn’t expect to score so many goals, but I want to go for more.”
There is a lot of truth in Bellingham’s statements because in the last few games his role on the team has changed. Throughout the season, the Englishman moved as a hook behind Rodrygo – lying on the right – and Vinicius – running to the left -. But in this 2024 Ancelotti opted to put Vinicius as a center forward and move Rodrygo to the left in the line of four steering wheels. Thus, in the current 4-4-2 Bellingham plays as a second striker and is having a harder time finding his place on the field.
“Carlo is the coach who has brought out the best performance in me, who has made me believe the most that I am better and who has fueled my confidence the most. He is a very good person, someone who makes you feel comfortable. Coming to Madrid was a great transfer and it has been wonderful to adapt so well to the team. It’s the first time I’ve played as a ten and that was his decision, something I have to thank him for. It has convinced me of my potential”Jude acknowledged.
There is, finally, another factor that has Real Madrid fans worried: Bellingham, from his time at Borussia Dortmund, was never able to beat Bayern Munich. The Englishman played 9 times against the German giant, lost 7 and drew 2; he never marked it. Can he end the streak next Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabéu?
