Arbeloa brings Bellingham on against Bayern Munich

Jude Bellingham came on in the 61st minute for Real Madrid against Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, with the Spanish giants losing 2-0. At the start of the game, as reported by AS, Arbeloa decided to keep the English player on the bench.

It was his third straight game in that role since returning to action. He got back on the field in the derby against Atlético and added more minutes against Mallorca: 16 and 31, respectively. But his first start did not come against the Bavarian giant.

Madrid are taking it cautiously with Bellingham. The midfielder last started on February 1. That day, against Rayo, he felt a sharp pain just eight minutes in. It was a tear in his left hamstring. The injury led him to travel to London for further evaluation, encouraged by the club and medical chief Niko Mihic, to secure the most accurate diagnosis. He was sidelined for 49 days. He has now recovered, but the club is unwilling to take risks.

Nor did Thomas Tuchel want to take any during the recent international break. “He’s coming off a muscle injury and you never know what can happen,” the English national team coach said. He was called up but did not play. He did not even warm up in the final match against Japan, returning to Madrid to continue following the club’s plan. Against Mallorca, Arbeloa increased his workload, giving him those final 31 minutes. After the game, he explained: “The idea is for him to keep building match rhythm. He can’t reach his top level without playing games. Be patient with him.” The plan remains the same. If Kylian Mbappé needed one game off the bench (Atlético) before starting for France and then doing so again at Son Moix, with Jude it will be a slower, step-by-step process.

Real Madrid’s City and derby quartet

That approach shapes a midfield built on hope, alongside the Vinicius-Mbappé partnership up front. It is the same unit that sparked the winning run that knocked out City and Atlético: Valverde, Thiago Pitarch, Tchouaméni and Güler. Valverde, the Falcon, is given space, width and the freedom to roam, while also helping out defensively on the flank. A role in which Thiago, who has become central since emerging, is key. He was rested at Son Moix, coming on in the second half after playing a major role with the U-19s. Tchouaméni remains the undisputed anchor, and Güler has so far won the battle for a starting spot on the biggest occasions. And today, against Bayern, is one of them.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.