Real Madrid: The bell from Bellingham rings again

23/09/2025 08:40:00 FieldFrenzy

Jude Bellingham featured in the opening minutes of the season against Espanyol last weekend and appeared much sharper than he did last season.

On that day, Camavinga also played and eased the concerns of coach Xabi Alonso, who is gaining more key players at this point in the season. There is very little time to fully evaluate the current form of these stars, but their roles will become apparent over time.

Among them, number 5 is the most awaited for his ability to connect the Galaxy’s playing style. The departure of Toni Kroos and the decline of the English midfielder last season led to one of the saddest conclusions in Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching career.

The arrival of Kylian Mbappe has greatly influenced every football aspect of Madrid’s capital team. Firstly, he created a "natural" imbalance in the main role with Vinicius. Then, the team’s balance was affected due to too few players participating in defense on the pitch.

Meanwhile, the English midfielder’s space was reduced as Mbappe operated in a large area in the opponent’s final third, forcing Bellingham to drop deeper and engage more in defense than the previous season. This can be seen as an unexpected "issue" after an outstanding season from number 5.

However, losing form was not the only misfortune the 22-year-old midfielder had to endure; a severe shoulder injury lasting nearly two years forced him to play in pain without achieving 100% fitness.

Number 5 underwent shoulder surgery after the Club World Cup, and his quick return was surprising. Real Madrid hopes that after surgery, Bellingham will regain the form he showed in his first season wearing the Real Madrid shirt. In that first season, he scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists.

Bellingham returns exactly when Xabi needs creativity the most for Real.

However, one of the first changes Madrid fans can notice in the English player compared to last season is his physique. Bellingham has slimmed down considerably. The midfielder increased his muscle mass during his first two years at Bernabeu, but now he has returned to the shape he had in the summer of 2023 when signing with the white team.

This muscle gain was also aimed at strengthening his shoulder and preventing dislocations from recurring. Pintus’ training plan helped him build muscle. The new coaching staff altered this plan after surgery, deciding that the best approach for Bellingham’s playstyle is to reduce muscle mass to become more agile.

This weight reduction will allow number 5 to move faster and be more flexible. Alonso always requires his players to sacrifice their ego and improve their defensive efforts to win the ball in the opponent’s half. This means forwards must press more aggressively, as seen in the first six matches of the season. And the English player’s physique will be more resilient thanks to the weight loss.

In the near term, Real will face a packed schedule, and Bellingham will become more important in Alonso’s squad. Mastantuono or Guler are expected to face a big challenge, as Bellingham is hoped to become a key partner with Mbappe in creating cohesion in the club’s play. So far, the Galaxy has won all matches, but they still need a bit more fluidity, creativity, and softness in their play to become more explosive. And Bellingham is back to assist and bring more football to the team.

Nhat Minh

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