Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti tries to explain Jude Bellingham's lack of goals – 'He sacrifices himself'
Manager of Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti said he is not concerned by the lack of goals for Jude Bellingham, after a much slower start to the season. The England star has played three fewer games this season through injury but has 10 goals at this stage of the season, while this year he is yet to hit the back of the net, while he has the same number of assists (2) .
Bellingham has seen his position changed on several occasions this season due to the absence of Toni Kroos, and the arrival of Kylian Mbappe. The 21-year-old operated almost as a forward third last year but has returned to a much more recognizable midfield role this year.
“We are satisfied with his work, they are very satisfied. He works very hard, competes, fights, sacrifices himself. The truth is that he did not score as many goals as last year, but the surprise is not this year, the surprise was last year.
“Last year he scored a lot of goals, which nobody expected. Now, he also helps a lot. The problem this year is not the lack of goals in Bellingham, we always scored goals and we still have, because we a large amount of talent in front. For us, now, the work he does is much more important.”
Real Madrid beat Celta Vigo on Saturday night, but did not make a sound, and Ancleotti admitted that he had changed Bellingham's position as part of an experiment.
“He changed his position the other day, I put him on the right because we thought he could find more space to make runs from deep. The left wing is busier this year and the right wing has been left a little more exposed. We can be as effective with Bellingham and Rodrygo on the right as we are on the left,” Ancelotti said.
Bellingham will face their first team for the second time in two seasons on Tuesday night as Nuri Sahin's side come to the Spanish capital hoping to inflict a second European defeat of the season on Real Madrid. After losing to Lille, the Blancos are 17th in the table, with six games to go, and only three points from the top and the bottom.
