Jude Bellingham was arguably Real Madrid’s best player on the field against Athletic Club. The English midfielder was playing his first official game forLos Blancosbut did not show any sign of being under pressure.
In 90 minutes, the 20-year-old scored one goal, provided one key pass and completed close to 85% of his passes. Moreover, he completed three dribbles and won a staggering 13 duels on the night, earningpraise from manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Speaking to the media after the game, the former Borussia Dortmund star first burst out in emotion and expressed his feeling following the stellar debut performance.
“This match was very special for me and the most important thing is the victory. I was fortunate to score. It’s three points to start the season with.”
Real Madrid put two goals past Athletic Club last night, but Bellingham insisted that the scoreline could have been more dominant.
“We dominated and made a lot of chances. In the second half, we found it a bit difficult and we had to battle. We defєɴԀed and played really well on the counter-attack and we could’ve scored more goals,”he said
The young midfielder also explained his goal-scoring moment in detail and even went on to engage in self-criticism over his shot.
“If you shoot you have a chance to score. I didn’t connect well with the ball, but I was fortunate that it went in and it came off.”
Finally, the man of the moment ɾєⱱєɑłєԀ how he felt playing forReal Madridand sharing the dressing room with some of the best in the business.
“I really enjoy playing with my teammates because of what they do with and without the ball. It’s a pleasure to be with them and it makes me smile to play with them. I’m very pleased with the win and the goal.”
Real Madrid began their 2023-24 La Liga campaign on Saturday night with a solid 2-0 win against Athletic Club at San Mames. The game was not easy by any measure, but early goals from Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham got the men in white across the line.
Carlo Ancelotti wasin the spotlightahead of the game as the world waited in anticipation of tactics he would deploy against the Basque side. He spoke to the media after the game and spoke on the goal scorers, team dynamics, and injuries on the night.
The manager began with an overview of the game that unfolded at San Mames, the positives and the negatives to take away from the performance.
“We played well, especially in the first half, when we showed a lot of intensity. In the second half, we slowed down and had less control, but we did well at the back.”
“It’s evident that when the team is collectively committed and has the right attitude, we are stronger defensively. The team was well positioned and strong in the duels.”
“In the first half, we won back a lot of balls. The team is comfortable playing this way and we worked really well defensively,”he added.
Ancelotti praised the team’s new recruit, Jude Bellingham, for his special display on the night when he scored his first goal forReal Madridin an official game.
“He’s outstanding. He has plenty of personality and has adapted very quickly to the team’s system. It seems like he’s been with us for a long time and he’s a very talented player.”
Speaking on Rodrygo Goes’ importance in the team, the manager highlighted his ability to link up on the right side to be a valuable asset.
“He possesses different characteristics to Joselu. He combined very well with Valverde and Carvajal on the right wing. He’s adapting to this system very well, as is Vini Jr.”
“They’re very young and are progressing nicely, but they need to continue with this progression. Hopefully, Rodrygo can get more goals than he managed last season,”he added on Rodrygo and Vinicius.
The manager also spoke on Eder Militao’s ιɴjυɾу on the night and ɾєⱱєɑłєԀ that the initial prognosis was not favourable.
“He sprained his knee. It doesn’t look good and we will assess it in the next few hours. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. We’re concerned and we’re not ruling anything out.”
Andriy Lunin started the game in between the posts given Thibaut Courtois’ ιɴjυɾу and was solid for the 90 minutes. The Italian manager praised the Ukrainian player, saying:
“He’s done really well. He was very calm and focused. He moved the ball well from the back and he was good with the high balls. He showed confidence and concentration.”
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have always been centre-stage atReal Madrid. Last night, the duo started on the bench and came on late in the game for short cameos. The coach reaffirmed his faith in the veterans and maintained they would get their chances.
“They’re part of a squad that has a lot of quality. I can’t say that they’re going to be substitutes. They’re very important players. I’ve chosen this line-up today, but I might change it next week.”
The Italian gaffer’s press conference єɴԀed with a question onKepa Arrizabalaga’s speculated move to Madrid. However, the manager refused to comment on the unfinished Ԁєɑł.
“He’s not aReal Madridplayer and I don’t talk about players who aren’tReal Madridplayers.”
