Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick heroics went to waste as Hansi Flick-led Barcelona ran out 4–3 victors in Sunday’s El Clasico all-intense encounter – but how was Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, who was somewhat trolled by Lamine Yamal post-match, rated by the members of the Spanish press?
The Frenchman, 26 years of age, notched his second treble of the 2024/25 campaign against his side’s arch-rivals, but it was to no avail as Barcelona – Raphinha and Yamal, most notably – stepped up the ante after going two goals down within 14 minutes.
Barcelona are now two points off winning this season’s La Liga crown, while Bellingham – formerly of Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund – and his teammates have only themselves to blame after loosening their grasp on a two-goal lead, which they earned after just a quarter of an hour.
Described as ‘unrecognisable’ in the middle
Bellingham – in his maiden campaign in Los Blancos colours – was a goalscoring revelation from the engine room – and, as a result, the Spanish media have been particularly kind to him in months gone past. Throughout 2023/24 alone, across 43 outings in all competitions, he notched 23 assists and 13 assists.
Crestfallen on Sunday after succumbing to the pressure of being in control at two goals to the good, the central midfielder cut a frustrated figure. A born winner, the thought of going trophyless is beginning to take its toll on the ex-Birmingham City prodigy.
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Spanish publication Marca were critical of the Englishman’s display on away soil and blamed him for being too ‘out of control' in the middle. A player of his influence, Marca suggested, should be taken games of this magnitude by the scruff of the neck, something Bellingham didn't do.
“Gone. A key player in Madrid’s midfield collapse. He was completely out of control and unable to participate in possession. He focused on details. Too little for a player of his level and influence on the team. Almost everything he received was long balls with no advantage to exploit his passing.”
Diario AS also suggested that the Stourbridge-born world-beater – regarded as one of the best midfielders in world football – was an ‘unrecognisable’ figure in the middle of the park and that he ‘gave the impression’ that he was physically and mentally spent.
Bellingham’s Display in Numbers
Englishman took zero touches in Barcelona's box
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Given his knack of turning a game on its head, Carlo Ancelotti kept Bellingham, 21, on for the entirety of the clash – and in 90 minutes, he took 54 touches of the ball. The frustrating bit, however, was that zero came inside the confines of Barcelona’s danger area: the 18-yard box.
Twenty-five of his 33 passes (76%) were successful as he struggled to string together anything of note. From an attacking point of view, he registered zero shots and zero key passes – and the solitary successful dribble showcases his blunt approach. Defensively, however, the statistics imply that he was resolute, having completed a total of four ball recoveries and the same number of clearances. Bellingham also won nine of his 14 duels.
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As alluded to, the likelihood of Bellingham – one of the best central midfielders since 1990 – and his teammates going without silverware this season is high, but they will have the chance to right their wrongs when they compete in the Club World Cup in June.
All statistics per Sofascore - correct as of 12/05/2025