Jude Bellingham is a “shadow” of the player he was last season and Carlo Ancelotti made a “joke in bad taste” by playing the England midfielder out of position, Spanish media claim after Real Madrid’s 4-0 humbling to Barcelona.
Marca were among leading outlets to turn on the team as Madrid suffered a first La Liga defeat in more than a year. Bellingham was guilty of passing up one of Real’s better opportunities as the European champions were blown away in the second half with two goals from Robert Lewandowski and further strikes from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
The reaction to Bellingham’s performance dramatically contrasted with last season, when he scored the last-gasp winner in the fixture and also scored twice in a 2-1 win at Camp Nou.
As the inquest began on Sunday, Marca claimed Ancelotti was at fault for Bellingham’s form, saying the star player’s work-rate cannot be questioned. However, under the current system, he is effectively operating as a full-back at times, the daily adds.
Journalist Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ochoa wrote: “Bellingham is a shadow of the player who burst onto the scene last season at The Bernabeu. And the fault lies not with him, but with the way he is being managed. Every day he plays in a position that is not his and the boy, although he gives his all, does not shine. Playing close to the right flank, playing as a full-back for many minutes, is a joke in bad taste that Ancelotti must correct immediately.
“The fact that a player who last year scored almost 20 goals has not scored any when we are almost in November is something that deserves serious analysis.”
Ancelotti’s team would also rue a Kylian Mbappe strike being ruled out for offside when the match was goalless. “Had Mbappe scored the first chances, maybe the game would have changed,” said Aitor Karanka, former Real Madrid centre-back and Middlesbrough manager on La Liga TV.
In contrast, Yamal, 17, received glowing write ups. Marca wrote: “He is a chosen one. He showed it at the Euros, he continued to show it at the start of the league and he confirmed it at the Bernabeu. He did not have his best game, but three strokes were enough to silence the Bernabeu.”
Barcelona go top of La Liga
As a result of the win, Barca moved six points clear at the top of La Liga while Real fell one short of matching their rival’s record 43-game unbeaten run. “Let’s go and win La Liga, we go for it now,” said Yamal, 17, after the final whistle.
It caps a remarkable week for Barcelona, who also put four goals past Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. “Viva la vida!” read the headline on Barca’s official website, in reference to Coldplay’s logo on their shirts as part of their partnership with Spotify.
“A Sky Full of Stars. Paradise. Magic … Barça had Coldplay on their shirts this evening, and so many of their song titles can describe the way Barça fans are feeling right now. A Head Full of Dreams. Viva la Vida!” read their match report.
Real’s previous defeat in La Liga was September 2023 when they were beaten by city rivals Atletico Madrid, but they have since won the title and Champions League.
