Where will Bellingham play at Real Madrid? Ancelotti already knows...

Everything on the pitch now revolves around Bellingham, the focal point of the new system that AS revealed before Ancelotti took it upon himself to confirm. He first did so in front of the cameras and then at UCLA when he was interviewed by the media: “Is there a replacement for Benzema?” he was asked.

We already have it: it could be Joselu or the new system”, Carlo replied. Although he did not rule out returning to the tried and tested formation - “we can always return to the old way, which has worked for us” - all of the potential tactical systems have gone through the laboratory in which the Italian has come up with the solution during his training sessions in Los Angeles: Bellingham is the answer.

What tactical system and formation will Carlo Ancelotti use at Real Madrid this season?

The system preferred by the head coach is the 4-4-2 diamond, with Bellingham as the top, along with shifts to a 4-3-3 where the Englishman can momentarily work as a ‘false nine’. The teammates alongside Bellingham can change the structure: if Camavinga appears as a pivot and Valverde and Modric as inside players, the Englishman could act as a trequartista.

Carletto has also tried to redesign his 4-3-3 dream with Jude as the forward, placing Valverde, Kroos and Nico Paz in the engine room with the German in the ‘Makélélé role’. Brahim and Rodrygo were the attacking pair in the first game, with the man from Málaga and Vini Jr taking over from the number 5 in the second.

One of the alternatives that he has used, which seems to be a plan B, is to go with a 4-2-3-1 where Arda Güler was being played just off the striker, at least until his leg pain has allowed him to, behind Joselu who is leaving very good impressions on the coaching staff. The striker is being used as a target man where he is demonstrating that when required, crosses and high balls can have a positive return for Los Blancos.

What does Bellingham bring to Real Madrid?

However, the main idea that Ancelotti has chosen to repeat over and over again is intensity. “Go, go, don’t let him think”, has been heard on the UCLA fields on several occasions. Carletto is aware that in the new system, without a centre forward, dropping off is non-negotiable.

Orientation, constant pressure, interiors covering the backs of the attackers, countless support runs and holding pivots so that the depth is provided by the rest. It is clear that this Real Madrid will be more frantic and more aggressive in hunting for space to take advantage of the physical power that they have from the midfield onwards.

And all of this with Bellingham as the lynchpin. The man from Stourbridge will have complete freedom to arrival in the area, to drop to receive and start driving. If Ancelotti considers that Madrid have a “better squad” than last season, it is because he understands that he can squeeze everything out of Jude and that his goalscoring figures (in his last year at Dortmund he managed 15 goals) can continue to rise. In fact, in Friday’s game he scored the only goal of the game. On the horizon is Milan, which will be the first touchstone for this Real Madrid 2023-24 with so much to experience.