Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has admitted that he has suffered from the lack of fixed position in recent seasons, after being moved about by various managers. The England international has struggled for consistency this season, and has not had a fixed role under Xabi Alonso or Alvaro Arbeloa.
Part of the reason for that has been the injuries that he has suffered. Most recently, Bellingham returned from a hamstring tear in mid-March, but has featured in Real Madrid’s last four games.
“I feel good. This season has been frustrating; I’ve had bad luck, missing games due to injuries. At the beginning and in these last two months. The hardest part is coming back, mentally, preparing for those matches. The more you play, the better. I played against Mallorca, against Atletico, against Bayern… Your confidence grows, and you keep improving.”
Bellingham admits La Liga title is nearly out of reach
Many see the Champions League as Real Madrid’s last chance to make something out of their season, having exited the Copa del Rey, and slipped to nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga.
“Any loss in the Champions League feels like a disaster, given our current situation; it’s almost like a final. Obviously we want to compete and play well. We have a lot at stake and we must play well. It’s all or nothing, that’s our mentality. We have to see it like that. We’re not going to hide. We want to believe, we don’t have any more chances. We have to play and win.”
Asked why it was that Real Madrid had struggled so much in the league, he was unable to point to a specific cause.
“It’s complicated, it’s not the right place or the right time to reflect on it. In La Liga, at least at home, we’ve dropped too many points. You can’t win a league title by dropping so many points, with the competition from Barcelona. And away from home too. It’s just not possible. I don’t think the fight is over. We’re behind, but we have to focus on tomorrow. It’s a big day.”
Bellingham: ‘I’ve been a victim of my versatility’
After surgery on his shoulder in the summer, Bellingham returned in the September, but has struggled for continuity and to find a settled role in the team.
“There’s been a change, from my first season to now. Before, I played further forward, in that diamond midfield, with two wingers. Last year I played more on the left coming inside. And with Arbeloa and Xabi, a bit deeper. I can play in several positions. I can do different things at a good level, and I’m a little bit of a victim of that. It’s good and bad, because there’s no one position you can get used to, but you have to adapt.”
“When I score goals, I want to score more, but you also have to defend, you have to find that balance. And if I don’t score, I have to help the team. And I have to do whatever the coach asks.”
This season, Bellingham has received more criticism than in previous years, with some even claiming that he had lost focus. Bellingham responded by pretending to drink with one of his celebrations, referencing talk about him enjoying the Madrid nightlife.
“I think I’ve already spoken about this; you can’t mix your private life with your life as a player. I’ve enjoyed nights out, of course I have, but things came out that weren’t true, like that I drank too much, that I went out a lot. But none of that is true. I’m very professional, every single day. It was a joke.”
The Vinicius Junior-Kylian Mbappe combination
Another of the heated debates in the Spanish capital has been the chemistry between Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Los Blancos best performances under Alvaro Arbeloa have come with Mbappe injured or on the bench.
“It’s difficult to answer. There have been matches where we’ve played very well, cobined a lot. You have to look at each player individually. Perhaps we crowd together too much on the left; if I go to the other wing, we might have more balance. Maybe people are seeing the glass half empty. We play with freedom, and I hope that will be evident tomorrow, and that we can play fluidly.”
Real Madrid take on Bayern Munich at 21:00 CEST at the Allianz Arena, and trail 2-1 from the first leg. Bellingham is expected to start for just the second time since early February.