Jude Bellingham gave Real Madrid the edge in their Champions League showdown against Manchester City, but his week quickly took a turn for the worse.
The England international was sent off in the first half of Madrid’s La Liga clash against Osasuna on Saturday, a setback that cost Los Blancos two crucial points in the title race. Despite the disappointment, Bellingham will now be well-rested for the second-leg showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, with Madrid holding a narrow 3-2 advantage after their win at the Etihad Stadium.
Bellingham, who received his second red card in Spain for dissent, felt he had let his teammates down, though he insisted the referee misunderstood him. The midfielder publicly apologized for the incident.
“Enough said about the misunderstanding, just wanted to apologise again for leaving my team-mates in such a tough position and thank the fans for their support and understanding,” Bellingham wrote on social media. “We’ll see each other on Wednesday, (playing) at home.”
Big-Game Player
Despite occasional frustration with referees, Bellingham has thrived in Spain. His goals were pivotal in Madrid’s La Liga triumph last season, and he played a key role in their record-extending 15th Champions League title, defeating his former club Borussia Dortmund in the final.
The 21-year-old has often delivered in high-stakes moments, scoring decisive goals in both El Clásicos last season and against title contenders Girona. In Europe, he was instrumental in Madrid’s campaign, assisting Vinicius Jr. in the final and scoring four times in the group stage.
Though Bellingham initially struggled for goals this season in a deeper role following the arrival of Kylian Mbappé, he has rediscovered his form, scoring 10 goals in his last 20 games, along with six assists. His latest strike—an injury-time winner against City—has put Madrid in a strong position heading into the decisive second leg.
Despite a tumultuous week, Bellingham’s focus will be on guiding Los Blancos past Pep Guardiola’s side and into the next round as the Champions League anthem rings out at the Bernabeu.
AFP
