Bellingham helps Real get into Clasico mood
The midfielder’s first goal of the season helped Real maintain their all-win record in the Champions League this term
Kolkata: Jude Bellingham has produced goals way more spectacular but his winner on Wednesday sent a message to Real Madrid’s rivals, among whom are La Liga leaders Barcelona at the weekend and Liverpool early next month. And to Thomas Tuchel ahead of England’s engagements against Serbia and Albania next month.
“I felt comfortable, really good,” Bellingham said after the 1-0 win, a result that put Real among five teams who have an all-win record after match day three of the Champions League. The 57th minute strike came because Vinicius Jr brilliantly managed to find space and shoot and because Bellingham, shrugging off Juventus central defender Lloyd Kelly, reacted first to ricochet off the upright.
Playing close to goal in his first season at Real had fetched Bellingham 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 matches. With Aurélien Tchouaméni and Arda Güler available, it is the role he is likely to perform this term. Two minutes in, Bellingham put his arm up and made a forward run but Real didn’t play to him. Caught off-side in the 33rd minute, Bellingham looked frustrated at the absence of Real players in the rival box. As Real stepped up after motoring through the first half, Bellingam met a ball from the impressive Güler with a header but couldn’t get a proper connection or the right direction. The goal was coming.
After the goal, Bellingham linked up with Mbappe whose shot was saved by Juventus goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio. And again, this time the effort being cleared off the line by Federico Gatti, one of the three Juventus centre-backs. When Bellingham did that in added time, showing sublime skill to take the ball past Manuel Locatelli, Mbappe played a give-go with Franco Mastantuono before testing Di Gregorio.
Bellingham had not scored since the Club World Cup and at the Santiago Bernabeu since April 1 in that Copa del Rey goal fest against Real Sociedad. In between, he recovered from a shoulder injury and didn’t finish games. Which is why Tuchel had given the No. 10 role to Morgan Rogers.
“What will we do if a player like Jude is injured before the World Cup? Do we not travel?,” the England coach had asked, replying to questions about excluding the country’s best player, the man who scored a spectacular last-gasp winner against Slovakia to revive a European championship campaign.
Will that change after Bellingham lasted the full match in his seventh appearance of the season? “I am very happy for Jude. After the injury, he needed a good game,” said Real head coach Xabi Alonso.
Real are transitioning and, as with most teams, not finding it easy. A clutch of senior players who helped them win six of the Champions League titles between 2014 to 2024 have left. On and off the pitch, it is not easy to replace Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Lucas Vazquez, Nacho and even Joselu who was at the club on loan. Trent Alexander-Arnold, the precocious Mastantuono, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras are now part of the first team which also has a new coach.
One keen on a rotation policy. Against Juventus, Alonso made four changes to the first 11 from the team that started in the 1-0 win against Getafe. To all of the above, add Valverde being a reluctant right-back now that Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal are injured. It has led to a patchy start to the season, one where they took in five goals against Atletico Madrid, a first since 1950.
Juventus started better with Weston McKennie getting Thibaut Courtois to turn one around and Gatti testing the keeper who became the fourth in Real’s history to play 300 matches for the club. In the 50th minute, Courtois needed to get big on Dusan Vlahović on a Juventus break set going by a Kelly pass from his box. This was his 119th clean sheet for Real.
Courtois’s counter-part though had a busier night making eight saves, including a double save from Mbappe and Valverde.
“It was a very tough game with chances at both ends and we had to sweat for it, but it was an important win against a big team,” Courtois told Movistar.
The first round of Champions League games have produced some unequal contests and goal fests. It could also be what top teams need to work out issues without the threat of not making the knockout rounds. Paris St-Germain did it last season and there is no reason to believe Juventus, without a win in their last seven games in all competitions, or Real cannot this time.
