Bellingham officially 'issues a challenge' to Barca

Jude Bellingham netted his initial goal this season for Real Madrid following an extended spell troubled by a shoulder issue. Playing impressively and scoring versus Juventus, Bellingham demonstrated his readiness to join the Madrid team in conquering future peaks, including the showdown with Barcelona.

Happy for Jude Bellingham

Before the match against Juventus, forward Kylian Mbappe was the most mentioned star in Real Madrid’s lineup. However, after 90 minutes, Bellingham became the most talked-about player following the game at Bernabeu. He was the one who scored the only goal of the match to secure 3 points for the home side and earned the man of the match award.

Before the match against Juventus, Jude Bellingham faced immense pressure. A shoulder injury led the English star to undergo surgery early in the season. Upon his return, he struggled to regain his form. Looking back, after transferring from Dortmund in summer 2023 for over 100 million euros, he immediately scored 23 goals for the Madrid club across all competitions in the 2023/24 season, making him a strong contender for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. In the following season, although his stats were more modest, the English international still scored 15 times for Real Madrid.

However, the goal against Juventus early this morning was Jude Bellingham’s first for Real Madrid this season. It wasn’t the spectacular strike many expected but showed Bellingham is gradually regaining his sharpness and goal-scoring instinct. He represents another dangerous attacking option Real can rely on instead of constantly depending on Mbappe or Vinicius. This goal surely relieved some psychological pressure for Bellingham and helped restore his confidence heading into upcoming matches. It can be said that the English player had a perfect buildup before Real Madrid’s El Clasico battle against their archrivals Barca in La Liga this weekend.

Post-match statistics show that Jude Bellingham impressed not only by scoring the winning goal but also by leading the home team’s attacking play. If Real’s forwards had been more clinical, they could have scored more than one goal.

But Real still has many problems?

Behind the narrow 1-0 scoreline at Santiago Bernabeu lie numerous issues troubling Xabi Alonso. On closer inspection, this victory does not prove superiority of Alonso’s new system but highlights Real Madrid’s "age-old" problem: relying heavily on moments of brilliance from star players. When Ancelotti or Zidane had Ronaldo, Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, they all shone and it was natural for Real to depend on them.

But now, it’s obvious Real has only a few standout stars and the squad isn’t as optimal as before. Take Thibaut Courtois for example. The Belgian goalkeeper once again played a key role in Real’s recent win over Juventus, which "is not a good sign". When a team depends too much on world-class saves from the keeper, it suggests there are deadly defensive gaps. Against Juventus, Courtois had an extraordinary night, making crucial saves from long shots by McKennie and Gatti in the first half, then winning a one-on-one duel with Dusan Vlahovic early in the second half.

That save was as valuable as a goal. Had Real conceded an equalizer then, the match could have turned completely. It’s uncertain if Real would have kept a clean sheet and secured 3 points. Even the decisive goal was more a product of individual talent than collective play. Vinicius Junior made a classic solo run down the left wing, dribbling past two defenders before firing a fierce shot that hit the post.

Jude Bellingham’s contribution was simple: he tapped the ball into an empty net. Though the hero scorer, Bellingham admitted after the match that he has yet to fully regain his peak form and is still adapting to the new coach following shoulder surgery.

The goal ended a four-month drought and was psychologically significant, but it came from Bellingham’s good reading of the situation rather than a well-rehearsed move showing smooth integration in Xabi Alonso’s system.

The struggle to establish a new playing style is also evident in Federico Valverde’s case. The Uruguayan midfielder—a warrior in Ancelotti’s midfield—is now forced to play out of position as a right-back. Recently, there have been talks about Alonso and Valverde not being comfortable with each other.

A rare bright spot in the new system might be Arda Guler, who is becoming more mature and showing potential in controlling the game. However, he alone is not enough. Building a team that turns individual talents into a strong collective is still a long journey. Overall, Alonso is still struggling. The upcoming El Clasico against Barca won’t decide his future immediately, but President Florentino Perez needs to see a hopeful Real after months under Alonso’s leadership.

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