Jude Bellingham presents a tactical conundrum for new manager Xabi Alonso.
In his first season at Real Madrid he was fantastic, scoring 23 goals in 42 games while playing in an advanced midfield role to help Real Madrid to the 2023-24 La Liga and Champions League titles.
Last term he was pushed deeper and wider to accommodate Kylian Mbappe and only managed 14 strikes in 53 games as Real failed to win a major trophy.
At Alonso’s unveiling as Real manager he said he saw Bellingham more as a central midfielder and that’s where he started against Pachuca on Sunday – in the central left position of a 4-3-3.
But, when Raul Asencio was sent off after seven minutes, Madrid switched to a 4-4-1 with Bellingham playing even more centrally and driving from deep.
Two minutes after the tactics were tweaked during a first-half drinks break Bellingham made a late run into the box, picked up the ball from Fran Garcia and smashed a shot into the bottom corner.
It was 10-man Madrid’s first meaningful attack and changed the entire momentum of the match.
“When Bellingham comes from deep and arrives, he is phenomenal. That is an amazing goal and that is where he plays best,” former Italy striker Christian Vieri told DAZN.
“Alonso is the coach, he has to find a way to make them play. Bellingham scored so many goals before Mbappe arrived.
“It’s not our problem, it is Alonso’s problem and he is going to be having sleepless nights.”
Ex-Chelsea midfielder Jon-Obi Mikel added: “That is where Bellingham is best, when he arrives late from midfield.
“No one can stop Jude in that role because he has the power and energy, he can be very special when doing that.”
One of Alonso’s biggest problems this season – and one which former boss Carlo Ancelotti struggled to solve – will be keeping all his stars happy.
Mikel added: “You have to play the players in their best positions because big players want to play in their best positions and that is the problem Xabi Alonso is going to have.
“We know Mbappe wants to play out on the left but they have one of the best players there in Vinicius Jr so where do you play him? He doesn’t like playing through the middle.
“It is a massive problem for Xabi Alonso. If he can find a way to solve the problem then he may have a team. They need to play as a team not as individuals.”
