As Bellingham returns from injury, Real Madrid’s coach faces a dilemma
Having settled on an effective first-choice lineup, Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa must now find a way to slot Jude Bellingham back into his team.
Almost three months after taking over from Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid finally seems to be humming. That doesn’t mean the team is free of danger; Arbeloa himself has made it clear more than once that this is not a reliable side, and that if they’re not at 100%, they can lose to anyone. But for now, the results - and especially the football - have arrived: five straight wins, including two against Manchester City in a Champions League tie that showed Madrid is very much alive.
And this strong run has come without several key pieces. Like Kylian Mbappé, who had to stop due to knee issues but is now fully ready, as he showed during the international break with France. And Jude Bellingham, who hasn’t started a match since February 1 and returns from a break in which Thomas Tuchel, his England manager, created confusion around the midfielder’s situation.
“Ready to play” despite England absence
Bellingham played a few minutes in Madrid’s last game before the break, the Bernabéu derby against Atlético, which seemed to make his participation with England both expected and necessary to build match rhythm. But nothing of the sort happened: he wasn’t even on the bench for the first game of the break against Uruguay, and although he was on the squad sheet against Japan, he didn’t play.
Tuchel even said after the first match that Bellingham wouldn’t be available due to physical issues: “We will not take risks with Jude because he is coming off a muscle injury and you never know what might happen.” The expectation was that he’d return early to Madrid, but that didn’t happen. He stayed with England and was on the bench against Japan, but without playing or even warming up. All of this led many to believe there was a new physical setback - but that doesn’t seem to be the case: Bellingham is in the squad for Madrid’s LaLiga game against Real Mallorca today, and could feature.
“His case was a bit particular - I understand they didn’t want to take any sort of risk,” Arbeloa told reporters ahead of this weekend’s trip to Mallorca. “I think Jude is smart enough to have gotten good training sessions in, to keep working his way back. And he’s ready to play, to start picking up match rhythm. And that’s that.” Arbeloa made it clear that Jude could play, though also that it’s unlikely he’ll start.
The timing to reintegrate Bellingham into the team is both crucial and delicate; after all, Alonso derailed at this very same curve. After seven wins in his first seven matches in charge, Alonso rushed Bellingham back for the derby at the Metropolitano in September, even though it was obvious he wasn’t ready after a long layoff following shoulder surgery. His performance was poor, and so was Madrid’s: a 5-2 defeat.
How will Bellingham fit back into the Real Madrid team?
Now Arbeloa faces a selection headache, because he has finally found a functioning lineup in a 4‑4‑2 with two forwards (Vinicius Júnior and Mbappé) and four in midfield, with teenager Thiago Pitarch as the breakout name. Logic - and the betting lines - suggest the academy product would make way for Bellingham to take his place alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni, Fede Valverde and Arda Güler. But the Englishman’s performances this season have been well below expectations (six goals and four assists), while Thiago has far exceeded them. It’s not the straightforward swap it appears to be.
Even so, Arbeloa has been clear that he’s counting on Bellingham and waiting for him. He said as much back in late February, making clear that finding a place for him in the XI is no burden: “If I could give an arm for Jude to be healthy tomorrow, I would. He’s a leader, one of the best in the world. What makes me happy is how the team is competing without a player like Bellingham. It speaks very well of the squad. If I had Panoramix’s magic potion to bring him back, I’d use it. Zero doubts about him.”
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